Which muscles primarily extend the hip?

• A. Iliopsoas and rectus femoris
• B. Gluteus medius and minimus
• C. Adductors
• D. Hamstrings and gluteus maximus

Answer: (D)

Hip extension is moving the thigh backward at the hip joint. The primary muscles responsible are the gluteus maximus and the hamstrings, which run along the back of the hip and thigh and actively pull the thigh into extension. The gluteus maximus is the main extensor, providing the greatest force especially in powerful movements like standing up from a squat or sprinting. The hamstrings cross both the hip and knee, so they extend the hip while bending the knee, contributing significantly to hip extension as part of the posterior chain.

The iliopsoas and rectus femoris are hip flexors, so they do not help with extension. Gluteus medius and minimus primarily abduct the hip and stabilize the pelvis, not extend the thigh. Adductors mainly pull the thigh toward the body's midline and may assist with flexion or extension depending on the angle, but they are not the primary hip extensors.