Hip Abduction with External Rotation Test

How to Perform

Patient holds 12 O’Clock, examiner monitors ASISs

The patient is supine and is initially positioned in the same starting position as for the pelvic clock assessment. The subject is instructed to posteriorly rotate the pelvis towards 12 o’clock which is monitored by the examiner’s thumbs placed either inferior or superior over the ASISs. The ASISs must be level in the frontal plane prior to the start of the movement test. If asymmetry at 12:00 o’clock is present the subject is usually asked to draw the right ASIS superiorly further (usually accomplished by side bending the trunk to the right). The subject is asked to maintain the symmetrical 12 o’clock position and slowly abduct, or allow the knees to separate as far as possible, without losing the symmetry at the monitored ASISs. The operator monitors the ASIS position and notes if one side begins to drop caudally as the subject slowly drops the knees out to the side.