The flexion-adduction test: An early sign of hip disease

This report introduces the flexion-adduction test as an additional diagnost ic technique for hip pathology in children and young adults. Losses of flex ion-adduction. internal rotation. abduction and total flexion are are all i ndividually assessed in patients with confirmed hip pathology. The: finding s suggest that the "flexion-adduction" rest is a simple, hut sensitive, cli nical procedure to detect the early signs of hip disease in older children and young adults. Although abduction and internal rotation are reportedly t he most commonly restricted movements in frequent hip pathologies such as i rritable hip, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease and slipped epiphysis, we believe that the loss of flexion-adduction is: often the first affected range of mo vement. A statistical analysis of 87 cases from 1994 to 1997 is presented w herein the clinical loss of flexion-adduction provided the initial suggesti on of under lying hip pathology, and concludes that the loss of internal ro tation, abduction and flexion are are not statistically reliable tests for clinically diagnosing pathology individually. Often, despite a positive fle xion-adduction test, the other ranges of movements remained unaffected or m inimally affected in children and young adults with varying hip diseases, l ater confirmed through subsequent physical examinations or investigations. A thorough explanation of the flexion-adduction test is provided.