Execution
- 1Position the patient side-lying with the painful side usually uppermost.
- 2Stand behind or beside the patient.
- 3Place both hands over the upper part of the iliac crest.
- 4Apply a downward force through the iliac crest toward the table.
- 5Ask whether the pressure reproduces the patient’s familiar sacroiliac or posterior pelvic pain.
Positive outcome
Reproduction of the patient’s familiar sacroiliac region pain is positive. Magee describes the force as producing forward pressure on the sacrum and stressing posterior sacroiliac ligaments. A vague feeling of pressure without familiar pain is not enough.
Studies
| Study | Reliability | Sn | Sp | LR+ | LR− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laslett et al. (2005) | test-retest κ = 0.58 | 60 | 69 | 2.20 | 0.46 |
| Broadhurst & Bond (1998) | NA | 26 | 100 | NA | NA |
CommentCompression is a core SIJ cluster component and has modest singleton performance. Broadhurst’s perfect specificity creates an unstable rule-in impression because the sensitivity was low and the sample was limited. The test should be read as supportive only when it reproduces familiar pain and agrees with other provocation tests.
Moderate Clinical Value