Execution
- 1Position the patient supine.
- 2Flex both hips maximally toward the chest.
- 3Maintain one hip in flexion while passively extending the other hip.
- 4Repeat the extension movement with the hip internally rotated and then externally rotated.
- 5Compare pain, clicking, or catching between rotation positions and between sides.
Positive outcome
Pain, clicking, catching, or reproduction of familiar symptoms during hip extension in internal or external rotation is positive. The test is intended to provoke labral pathology. Painless clicking alone should not be overinterpreted.
Studies
| Study | Reliability | Sn | Sp | LR+ | LR− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McCarthy & Busconi (1995) | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Leibold et al. (2008) — criterion-related validity study | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
CommentMagee lists McCarthy as an intra-articular hip pathology test and describes it as a labral provocation manoeuvre. Modern reviews show wide variability in hip labral test accuracy, and most single tests cannot confidently confirm a labral tear. Use this as a symptom reproduction sign within a cluster.
Low Clinical Value