page_title: Gluteus maximus
section_title: Structure
hierarchical_section_title: Gluteus maximus / Structure
caption_attribution_description: Muscles of the gluteal and posterior femoral regions with current muscle highlighted
context_page_description: The gluteus maximus is the main extensor muscle of the hip. It is the largest and outermost of the three gluteal muscles and makes up a large part of the shape and appearance of each side of the hips. Its thick fleshy mass, in a quadrilateral shape, forms the prominence of the buttocks. The other gluteal muscles are the medius and minimus, and sometimes informally these are collectively referred to as the "glutes".
  Its large size is one of the most characteristic features of the muscular system in humans, connected as it is with the power of maintaining the trunk in the erect posture. Other primates have much flatter hips and can not sustain standing erectly.
  The muscle is made up of muscle fascicles lying parallel with one another, and collected together into larger bundles separated by fibrous septa.
context_section_description: The gluteus maximus is the outermost muscle of the buttocks. It arises from connections to nearby structures in this area. It arises from the posterior gluteal line of the inner upper ilium, a bone of the pelvis, as well as above it to the iliac crest and slightly below it; from the lower part of the sacrum and the side of the coccyx, the tailbone; from the aponeurosis of the erector spinae (lumbodorsal fascia), the sacrotuberous ligament, and the fascia covering the gluteus medius (gluteal aponeurosis).
  The fibers are directed obliquely downward and lateralward;
  The gluteus maximus ends in two main areas:
  those forming the upper and larger portion of the muscle, together with the superficial fibers of the lower portion, end in a thick tendinous lamina, which passes across the greater trochanter, and inserts into the iliotibial band of the fascia lata;
  the deeper fibers of the lower portion of the muscle are inserted into the greater trochanter between the vastus lateralis and adductor magnus.
caption: Muscles of the gluteal and posterior femoral regions, showing origin and insertion of gluteus maximus muscle.
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