Trendelenburg Test

(English captions by Andrea Matsumoto from the University of Michigan)

The Trendelenburg test assesses for hip stability.

The examiner sits behind the patient and places
thumbs in the posterior superior iliac spines

and hands on the iliac crests to check for
level height.

The patient then stands on one leg with the
raised unsupported leg flexed at the knee

and hip.

In normal function, the unsupported pelvis
elevates slightly, indicating the gluteus

medius muscle appropriately abducts the supported
hip.

If the pelvis drops on the unsupported side
or remains level, it's considered a positive

Trendelenburg, indicating a weak gluteus medius
or intra-articular pathology in the supported hip.