How is hip adduction strength tested?

How is hip adduction strength tested?

• A. Move the leg toward the midline against resistance applied to the medial thigh; stabilize the pelvis.
• B. Move the leg away from midline against resistance at the lateral thigh; pelvis stabilized.
• C. Move the leg toward the midline while standing on one leg with no stabilization.
• D. Lift the leg upward against gravity with the pelvis stabilized.

Answer: (B)

The movement described is how hip abductors are tested. To isolate the hip abductors (gluteus medius/minimus and tensor fasciae latae), you have the leg move away from the midline and you apply resistance on the lateral side of the thigh while stabilizing the pelvis. Stabilizing the pelvis prevents compensations from the trunk or pelvis, ensuring the strength you measure truly comes from the hip joint and its abductors. If you were testing hip adduction, you would reverse the direction—move the leg toward the midline and apply resistance to oppose that motion, typically on the medial aspect of the thigh, with the pelvis stabilized. The other described scenarios either depict abduction without specifying proper stabilization, or involve flexion or stance that doesn’t isolate hip abductors.

The movement described is how hip abductors are tested. To isolate the hip abductors (gluteus medius/minimus and tensor fasciae latae), you have the leg move away from the midline and you apply resistance on the lateral side of the thigh while stabilizing the pelvis. Stabilizing the pelvis prevents compensations from the trunk or pelvis, ensuring the strength you measure truly comes from the hip joint and its abductors.

If you were testing hip adduction, you would reverse the direction—move the leg toward the midline and apply resistance to oppose that motion, typically on the medial aspect of the thigh, with the pelvis stabilized. The other described scenarios either depict abduction without specifying proper stabilization, or involve flexion or stance that doesn’t isolate hip abductors.