Examination of the Hip

Question 1

How fo you position the patient?

Answer 1

Patient lying as flat as possible

Question 2

What do you look for?

Answer 2

Deformity

Symmetry

Scars

Swlling

Muscle wasting

Leg lenth discrepency

Question 3

What do you feel for?

Answer 3

Palpate temperature and tenderness over the greater trochanter

Leg length discrepency (apparent and true)

(apparent = xiphisternum, true = ASIS)

Question 4

What do you move for the hip?

Answer 4

Thomas’ test

Flexion

Rotation (internal and external rotation)

Abduction and adduction (contralateral ASIS for abduction, ipsilateral for adduction)

Trendelenburg test

Question 5

How do you assess function of the hip?

Answer 5

Gait

Stiaght line walking

Limps

(antalgic gait, trendelenburg dip, ataxic, high stepping)

Examination of spine and knee joint (joint above and below)