A "hip test," more accurately referred to as a hip examination, is a physical assessment performed by healthcare professionals like doctors, physiotherapists, chiropractors, and osteopaths to evaluate hip pain or suspected hip joint issues.
Purpose of a Hip Examination
The primary goals of a hip exam are to:
- Identify the source of hip pain: Determine if the pain originates from the hip joint itself or from surrounding structures (muscles, ligaments, tendons, nerves).
- Assess the range of motion: Evaluate how freely the hip joint can move in various directions.
- Evaluate Strength: Tests muscle strength around the hip joint.
- Detect structural abnormalities: Identify any signs of arthritis, labral tears, impingement, or other hip joint problems.
- Guide diagnosis and treatment: Provide information that helps determine the underlying cause of the hip pain and guide appropriate treatment strategies.
Components of a Hip Examination
A comprehensive hip exam typically includes the following components:
- Patient History: The clinician will ask about the patient's symptoms, including the location, onset, duration, and severity of the pain, as well as any activities that aggravate or relieve the pain. They will also ask about prior injuries and medical history.
- Observation: The clinician will visually assess the patient's posture, gait (walking pattern), and any visible signs of swelling, bruising, or deformity.
- Palpation: The clinician will feel the hip joint and surrounding tissues to identify areas of tenderness, swelling, or muscle spasm.
- Range of Motion (ROM) Assessment: The clinician will assess both active (patient moves the joint themselves) and passive (clinician moves the joint) range of motion in all directions (flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, internal rotation, and external rotation). Limited or painful ROM can indicate a hip joint problem.
- Strength Testing: The clinician will assess the strength of the muscles surrounding the hip joint, such as the hip flexors, extensors, abductors, and adductors.
- Special Tests: Several special tests can help identify specific hip conditions. Some common examples include:
- FABER (Patrick's) Test: Assesses for hip joint or sacroiliac joint pathology.
- FADDIR Test (Femoroacetabular Impingement Test): Evaluates for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI).
- Trendelenburg Test: Evaluates the strength of the hip abductor muscles (gluteus medius and minimus).
- Scour Test: Assesses the integrity of the hip joint cartilage.
- Neurological Examination: The clinician may assess sensation, reflexes, and nerve function in the lower extremity to rule out nerve impingement or other neurological problems.
Interpretation of Findings
The findings from the hip examination are interpreted in conjunction with the patient's history and any imaging studies (such as X-rays, MRI, or CT scans) to arrive at a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan.
