Which muscle tightness attaches from hip to spine and limits hip mobility?

• A. Piriformis
• B. Glute Med
• C. IT Band
• D. Psoas

Answer: (A)

A tight muscle that crosses the hip joint and connects the spine region to the femur is most likely to limit hip mobility. The piriformis runs from the sacrum (part of the pelvis near the spine) to the greater trochanter of the femur, crossing the back of the hip joint. When it shortens or stiffens, it can restrict hip rotation and overall hip movement, making the hip feel tight or limited in motion.

The other muscles don’t fit this pattern as directly. Gluteus medius attaches to the ilium and the femur, not from the spine; the IT band runs along the lateral thigh from the hip to the knee, not across the hip joint itself; the psoas attaches from the lumbar spine to the lesser trochanter and is a primary hip flexor, whose tightness mainly affects hip flexion and lumbar posture rather than specifically limiting hip mobility through a spine-to-hip crossing like the piriformis.