The gluteal sulcus (also known as the gluteal fold, fold of the buttock or horizontal gluteal crease) is an area of the body of

human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...

s and anthropoid apes, described by a horizontal crease formed by the inferior aspect of the

buttocks The buttocks (singular: buttock) are two rounded portions of the exterior anatomy of most mammals, located on the posterior of the pelvic region. In humans, the buttocks are located between the lower back and the perineum. They are composed ...

and the posterior upper

thigh In human anatomy, the thigh is the area between the hip (pelvis) and the knee. Anatomically, it is part of the lower limb. The single bone in the thigh is called the femur. This bone is very thick and strong (due to the high proportion of bone ...

. The gluteal sulcus is formed by the posterior horizontal skin crease of the hip joint and overlying fat and is not formed by the lower border of the gluteus maximus muscle, which crosses the fold obliquely. It is one of the major defining features of the buttocks. Children with developmental dysplasia of the hips are born with uneven gluteal folds and can be diagnosed with physical examination and sonogram.

Gluteal muscles

The gluteal muscles can be classified into two main groups. The superficial gluteal muscles are responsible for extension and abduction of the hip, and stabilizing and maintaining the balance of the pelvis during the gait cycle. Deep gluteal muscles control external rotation of the extended hip and abduction of the flexed hip.

Clinical relevance

The superolateral region, which is free of nerves and vessels, is used for intramuscular injections. The Trendelenburg gait, consisting of gluteus medius and gluteus minimus muscles, is essential to maintaining the balance of the pelvis during the gait cycle. The

piriformis syndrome Piriformis syndrome is a condition which is believed to result from compression of the sciatic nerve by the piriformis muscle. Symptoms may include pain and numbness in the buttocks and down the leg. Often symptoms are worsened with sitting or ru ...

, which is also called deep gluteal syndrome (DGS) or gluteal pain syndrome, is the pain or numbness in the posterior thigh, the buttock and the hip, with radiation or radicular pain in the sciatic nerve distribution. This condition may be caused by trauma, hematoma, excessive sitting, and anatomic variations of the muscle and nerve. Superior gluteal nerve palsy causes injury to the superior gluteal nerve which results in motor loss that manifests as a disabling gluteus medius limp. The most common cause is an

iatrogenic injury A medical error is a preventable adverse effect of care ("iatrogenesis"), whether or not it is evident or harmful to the patient. This might include an inaccurate or incomplete diagnosis or treatment of a disease, injury, syndrome, behavior, ...

during hip surgery and intramuscular injection. Lesions of the inferior gluteal nerve occur through iatrogenic injuries like surgery, trauma, hernias, or pelvic tumors. This condition may result in a functional deficiency of the gluteus maximus muscle, leading to difficulties climbing the stairs or standing up from a chair also known as gluteus maximus lurch.

References

{{Authority control Pelvis Primate anatomy Lower limb anatomy Human surface anatomy