How to Identify the Iliac Crest

The iliac crest is the highest point of your pelvis to the sides of the ilium, which makes up the largest part of the pelvis. In corrective exercise and posture analysis, it is a landmark that many exercise and rehab professionals use to see how well your pelvis is aligned. Identifying pelvic alignment with both positions of the iliac crest is a crucial part of the assessment to help professionals determine the cause of pain or movement dysfunction.

Instructions

  1. Surface Anatomy

    • 1

      Place your hands on the sides of your hip and find the highest point of your pelvis, which is the anterior superior iliac spine, or ASIS. Compress gently against your pelvis with the space between your thumb and index finger.

    • 2

      Move your index finger slightly downward until you feel a slight bony protrusion that is angled toward your pubic region or your groin.

    • 3

      Stand tall and look in a mirror to see if one side of the iliac crest is higher than the other side or if one side of the pelvis is rotated forward.