The smallest glute
Gluteus minimus · musculus gluteus minimus
The deepest of the three buttock muscles, helping hold the pelvis level.
What it does
The gluteus minimus lies underneath the gluteus medius, fanning from the outer pelvis to the front of the bony bump at the top of the femur. It helps lift the leg to the side, rotate the thigh inwards and keep the pelvis level when you stand on one leg.
Surprising fact
It is the smallest of the three glutes but still larger than many muscles of the arm.
Why it matters
Pain on the outside of the hip that is worse lying on that side is often from its tendon or those of the gluteus medius, rather than the hip joint itself.
Nearby
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Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.