title: Determining meaningful changes in pelvic-on-femoral position during the Trendelenburg test.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hip abductor muscle weakness is related to many lower extremity injuries. A simple procedure, the Trendelenburg test, may be used to assess hip abductor performance in patient populations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the minimal detectable change (MDC) in pelvic-on-femoral (P-O-F) position of the stance limb during the Trendelenburg test.
  
  
  METHODS
  Laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  45 healthy women (28 +/- 8 years) and 45 healthy men (33 +/- 11 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  P-O-F position in degrees in single-leg stance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline P-O-F position (hip adduction) was 83 degrees +/- 3 degrees with a range from 76 degrees to 94 degrees. The intratester reliability (ICC3,1) for measurement of P-O-F position using a universal goniometer was 0.58 with a standard error of measurement (SEM) of 2 degrees. The minimal detectable change (MDC) was calculated to be 4 degrees.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  If a person's P-O-F position changes less than 4 degrees between measurements, then the P-O-F position is within measurement error and it can be determined that there has been no change in the performance of the hip abductor muscles when examined by the Trendelenburg test.
authors.affiliation: Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA. youdas.james@mayo.edu
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Youdas
authors.forename: Sara T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Mraz
authors.forename: Barbara J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Norstad
authors.forename: Jennifer J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Schinke
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hollman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur; D018475:Head-Down Tilt; D025981:Hip Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010384:Pelvic Bones; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology