Sacrum

• The sacrum is a large wedge shaped vertebra at the inferior end of the spine.

• It forms the solid base of the spinal column where it intersects with the hip bones to
form the pelvis.

• The sacrum is a very strong bone that supports the weight of the upper body as it is
spread across the pelvis and into the legs.

• Developmentally, the sacrum forms from five individual vertebrae that start to join
during late adolescence and early adulthood to form a single bone by around the age
of thirty.

• It looks like an inverted triangle with the base (wide portion) at the top and the apex
(the pointy end) at the bottom.

• In humans, the sacrum provides stability and a foundation for the formation of the
pelvis. Because we are bipedal, humans need a strong point for muscles of the legs
and core to attach.

• The pelvis needs to be wide enough to provide leverage for motion and balance, as
well as to facilitate birthing.

• If the entire pelvis was fused and rigid, work of motion needed for balance would be
much harder and take significantly more energy. Indeed, the swaying seen when
other primates walk upright is an example of the energy cost associated with a
smaller and less flexible pelvis.

• The sacrum creates an anchor point for the spinal column to attach to the pelvis,
which provides stability for the body core. It also acts as a platform to rest the spinal
column when sitting.

• Sexual dimorphism of the pelvis : The lower part of the pelvis, called the true pelvis,
contains the birth canal in females. The top of the true pelvis is defined by the pelvic
inlet. The pelvic inlet is nearly circular in females, more oblong in males. Also Sacrum
Is Wider and shorter, with less curvature in females. Longer and more curved in
males.