In MMT for Hip Abduction in Gravity minimized, which statement describes the hip position?

In MMT for Hip Abduction in Gravity minimized, which statement describes the hip position?

• A. Supine with knees extended and tested hip in external rotation
• B. Supine with knee flexed and hip neutral
• C. Supine with knees extended and tested hip in slight internal rotation
• D. Supine with hips abducted

Answer: (C)

In gravity-minimized testing for hip abduction, you want a position that isolates the abductors (gluteus medius/minimus) without gravity assisting or opposing the movement and without extra muscles taking over. Placing the patient supine with the knee extended does two things: it removes contributions from knee flexors and extensors and keeps the limb as a simple lever. Positioning the hip in slight internal rotation aligns the abductors in a favorable length-tension state and reduces involvement from muscles that could confound the test (such as those that preferentially abduct or rotate the hip when the leg is in other rotations). This setup lets you detect the true strength of the hip abductors in a gravity-eliminated context. Other positions either introduce a gravity effect (abduction already partly done by the limb’s position), change which muscles are recruited (like altering rotation or knee position to engage different muscle groups), or fail to stabilize the pelvis, all of which would cloud the assessment of pure hip abductor strength.

In gravity-minimized testing for hip abduction, you want a position that isolates the abductors (gluteus medius/minimus) without gravity assisting or opposing the movement and without extra muscles taking over. Placing the patient supine with the knee extended does two things: it removes contributions from knee flexors and extensors and keeps the limb as a simple lever. Positioning the hip in slight internal rotation aligns the abductors in a favorable length-tension state and reduces involvement from muscles that could confound the test (such as those that preferentially abduct or rotate the hip when the leg is in other rotations). This setup lets you detect the true strength of the hip abductors in a gravity-eliminated context.

Other positions either introduce a gravity effect (abduction already partly done by the limb’s position), change which muscles are recruited (like altering rotation or knee position to engage different muscle groups), or fail to stabilize the pelvis, all of which would cloud the assessment of pure hip abductor strength.