The FABER Test, also called Patrick’s Test, places the hip into flexion, abduction and external rotation. It is used to assess symptom response, movement restriction and possible contribution from the hip, groin, sacroiliac joint or surrounding pelvic region.
A positive test may include familiar pain, restricted movement compared with the other side, or inability of the tested knee to lower toward the table. The location of symptoms matters: anterior groin pain may suggest hip-related involvement, while posterior pelvic or sacroiliac-region pain may increase suspicion that the SIJ or posterior pelvic structures are relevant. However, the FABER Test does not confirm a condition on its own and should be interpreted with history, symptoms, range of motion, strength, function and other assessment findings.
The FABER Test is one of the most widely used hip and pelvic special tests. FABER stands for Flexion, ABduction and External Rotation, which describes the position used during the test. It is also commonly called Patrick’s Test.
The test is used in many assessment settings because it is simple, quick and can provide useful information about hip mobility, symptom response and side-to-side difference. Depending on where symptoms are reproduced, the test may support assessment reasoning around hip joint-related pain, groin pain, femoroacetabular impingement-type presentations, sacroiliac-region pain or general movement restriction.
The FABER Test should not be used as a stand-alone diagnostic test. It loads several structures at the same time, including the hip joint, surrounding soft tissues and potentially the posterior pelvic region. Because of this, a positive test does not identify one structure with certainty.
For Measurz users, the value of the FABER Test is in recording a clear, repeatable finding: side tested, pain location, pain score, movement restriction, end-feel, comparison side and interpretation confidence.
Test name: FABER Test / Patrick’s Test
Region: Hip, groin, pelvis and SIJ region
Primary purpose: Assess symptom response and mobility in hip flexion, abduction and external rotation
Commonly associated presentations: Hip-related groin pain, FAI syndrome, hip joint irritability, SIJ-region pain, movement restriction
Positive finding: Familiar pain, restricted range, asymmetry, protective guarding or symptom reproduction
Negative finding: No familiar pain, no meaningful restriction and similar response to the comparison side
Main limitation: It stresses multiple structures and does not identify one source on its own.
The FABER Test is a passive position-based test where the client lies supine and the tested leg is placed in a figure-four position. The hip is flexed, abducted and externally rotated.
The professional then observes:
How far the knee lowers toward the table
Whether the movement is limited
Whether symptoms are reproduced
Where the symptoms are felt
Whether the response differs from the other side
Whether the end-feel is muscular, capsular, painful or guarded
The test may be used as a hip mobility screen, a hip provocation test or part of a SIJ/pelvic provocation cluster depending on the clinical question.
The FABER Test may be used to support assessment reasoning around:
Hip-related groin pain
Hip joint mobility restriction
Femoroacetabular impingement-type presentations
Hip osteoarthritis-type presentations
Adductor or anterior hip symptoms
Posterior pelvic or SIJ-region pain
Side-to-side hip mobility differences
Movement-related hip symptoms
Lower back, pelvis and hip differential assessment
Baseline and retest documentation in Measurz
The test is useful because it can provide both a symptom response and a visible range comparison. However, interpretation depends strongly on the location and quality of the symptoms.
The FABER Test assesses the client’s response to combined hip flexion, abduction and external rotation.
It may provide information about:
Hip range of motion
Anterior hip or groin symptom response
Posterior pelvic or SIJ-region symptom response
Side-to-side mobility difference
Hip joint irritability
Protective guarding
End-feel quality
Movement-related symptom reproduction
It does not directly assess:
A single structure with certainty
Labral integrity
Cartilage status
SIJ pathology with certainty
Imaging findings
Strength
Balance
Gait mechanics
Readiness for sport or work
Treatment needs
The FABER Test may be useful for clients with:
Hip pain
Groin pain
Anterior hip discomfort
Posterior pelvic discomfort
Lower back or pelvic-region symptoms
Reduced hip external rotation
Pain with squatting, lunging or sitting cross-legged
Sport or work tasks requiring hip mobility
Side-to-side hip movement differences
A need for baseline and retest tracking
It may also be useful for students learning how hip position, symptom location and movement restriction influence assessment reasoning.
Consider using the FABER Test when:
Hip, groin or pelvic symptoms are part of the presentation
You want to compare hip mobility side to side
The client reports pain in positions involving hip flexion, abduction or external rotation
You want to record symptom location and irritability
SIJ-region pain is being assessed as part of a broader cluster
You are building a broader hip and pelvic assessment profile
The test is best combined with history, gait, hip range of motion, strength testing, functional testing and other relevant special tests.
Use caution or avoid the test when:
The hip is highly irritable
There is suspected fracture, dislocation or acute major trauma
The client cannot tolerate supine positioning
The client has recent surgery and the position is not appropriate
There is severe pain before testing
The client reports neurological symptoms requiring further assessment
Hip abduction or external rotation is restricted by pain or protective guarding
The professional cannot position the limb safely
Stop the test if symptoms increase sharply, the client asks to stop, or the hip cannot be positioned without forcing.
The FABER Test usually requires no special equipment.
Optional equipment includes:
Measurz app
Pain rating scale
Plinth or firm testing surface
Goniometer or inclinometer if quantifying range
Tape measure if recording knee-to-table distance
Notes field for pain location, end-feel and interpretation
Video recording for education or comparison where appropriate
Ask the client to lie supine on a plinth or firm surface.
Explain that the test places the hip into a figure-four position and that they should report where they feel any symptoms.
Test the less symptomatic side first if appropriate.
The client lies supine with both legs relaxed.
The tested leg is placed so the ankle rests above the opposite knee, creating a figure-four position.
The tested hip is positioned in flexion, abduction and external rotation.
The professional stands beside the tested limb.
One hand may stabilise the opposite pelvis. The other hand guides the tested knee toward the table.
Place one hand gently over the opposite anterior superior iliac spine or pelvis to monitor pelvic movement.
Place the other hand on the medial or anterior aspect of the tested knee or distal thigh to guide the movement.
Stabilise the opposite pelvis enough to reduce excessive pelvic rotation.
Do not push aggressively. The goal is to assess symptom response and available movement, not force the knee to the table.
Allow the tested knee to lower toward the table. Apply gentle downward pressure only if appropriate.
The movement should be slow and controlled.
Tell the client:
“Let the leg relax. I am going to gently lower your knee toward the table. Tell me if this reproduces any familiar symptoms and point to where you feel them.”
A positive finding may include:
Familiar anterior hip or groin pain
Familiar posterior pelvic or SIJ-region pain
Marked range restriction compared with the other side
Protective guarding
Painful end-feel
Reproduction of the client’s typical symptoms
Large side-to-side difference in knee-to-table distance
The reason for calling the test positive should be recorded.
A negative finding may include:
No familiar pain
No meaningful side-to-side restriction
Comfortable end-feel
Similar range to the opposite side
No relevant symptom reproduction
A negative result does not fully exclude hip, groin, pelvic or SIJ-related involvement.
Stop the test if:
Pain increases sharply
Symptoms become concerning
The client asks to stop
The hip cannot be positioned safely
Muscle guarding prevents meaningful testing
Neurological symptoms occur
Do not force the knee downward. The FABER position can be provocative for irritable hip, groin, pelvic or lower back presentations.
A positive FABER Test may increase suspicion that the hip, groin, posterior pelvic region or SIJ-region structures are relevant to the client’s symptoms. Interpretation depends on symptom location.
Anterior hip or groin pain may support hip-related assessment reasoning when it matches the client’s history and other findings. Posterior pelvic or sacroiliac-region pain may support SIJ/pelvic-region reasoning when it matches other provocation tests and symptom behaviour.
A positive test does not confirm a labral tear, FAI syndrome, SIJ pain, hip osteoarthritis or any other single condition. The test stresses multiple structures, and pain may be influenced by joint, muscular, neural, capsular or protective factors.
A negative FABER Test may reduce suspicion that this position is a major symptom driver, especially when range and symptom response are similar side to side. However, a negative result does not exclude hip or pelvic involvement, particularly if symptoms occur in other positions or higher-load tasks.
The result is more meaningful when interpreted with:
History
Pain location
Symptom behaviour
Hip range of motion
Strength testing
Gait
Squat or lunge assessment
Other hip special tests
SIJ provocation cluster where relevant
Functional assessment
Diagnostic accuracy for the FABER Test varies depending on the condition, population, positive finding definition and reference standard.
For FAI syndrome, recent research using a combined reference standard of symptoms, radiological morphology and response to intra-articular block injection reported that FABER had substantial inter-rater agreement when performed by experienced examiners. However, the FABER Test had sensitivity no higher than 60%, and specificity across the hip impingement tests in that study ranged from 24–51%. This means FABER should not be used alone to confirm or exclude FAI syndrome.
Condition or presentation: FAI syndrome
Population: People with long-standing hip/groin pain in a specialist setting
Test variation: FABER as part of hip impingement and range of motion assessment
Reference standard: Symptoms, CAM and/or pincer morphology, and response to intra-articular block injection
Sensitivity: No higher than 60% for FABER in the reported test group
Specificity: Low to moderate range across the hip impingement test group
Positive likelihood ratio: Not sufficiently strong for stand-alone rule-in use
Negative likelihood ratio: Not sufficiently strong for stand-alone rule-out use
Key limitations: Specialist setting, selected population, and results may not generalise to all hip, groin, sport or community populations.
For SIJ-related presentations, FABER is often studied as one component of a provocation cluster. Its interpretation is usually stronger when combined with other SIJ provocation tests rather than used alone.
Plain-language interpretation:
A positive FABER Test may support assessment reasoning, but it does not confirm a condition.
A negative FABER Test does not fully exclude hip or SIJ-region involvement.
Pain location and symptom reproduction are critical.
Diagnostic value improves when combined with other relevant tests.
FABER can show acceptable reliability when performed by experienced professionals using a consistent method, but reliability is influenced by client positioning, pelvic stabilisation, amount of force, symptom irritability and how the result is defined.
Validity is limited when FABER is treated as a single diagnostic test. It is more valid as a symptom provocation and mobility comparison test.
Reliability improves when the professional records:
Side tested
Pain location
Pain score
Knee-to-table distance if measured
End-feel
Pelvic movement
Amount of pressure applied
Comparison side
Whether symptoms are familiar
Client irritability
Common errors include:
Forcing the knee downward
Not stabilising or monitoring the pelvis
Failing to record symptom location
Calling any discomfort a positive test
Ignoring side-to-side range difference
Not separating pain from stiffness
Assuming posterior pain always means SIJ involvement
Assuming anterior pain always means labral involvement
Not combining the result with other tests
Using FABER as a stand-alone diagnostic test
Limitations include:
It loads multiple structures
It cannot isolate one tissue
Pain location can be difficult to interpret
Hip stiffness may affect the result
Pelvic movement may affect the result
Acute irritability can reduce usefulness
Diagnostic accuracy varies widely by condition and population
The FABER Test may be useful for:
Hip and groin assessment
Pelvic-region symptom assessment
Comparing hip mobility side to side
Recording symptom response
Identifying positions that reproduce familiar symptoms
Guiding further assessment selection
Client education
Measurz baseline and retest documentation
In Measurz, FABER can be recorded alongside FADIR, Scour Test, Log Roll Test, hip range of motion, hip strength, SIJ provocation tests, squat assessment, gait and functional testing.
Record:
Test name: FABER Test / Patrick’s Test
Side tested
Result: positive, negative, unclear or unable to test
Pain score
Symptom location
Symptom quality
Whether symptoms were familiar
Knee-to-table distance if measured
End-feel
Range restriction
Pelvic movement
Comparison side
Irritability
Compensations
Reason for stopping if relevant
Related findings
Interpretation confidence
Further assessment notes if appropriate
Retest date if relevant
Recording these details improves repeatability, communication, client education, assessment reasoning, monitoring over time, team consistency and reporting quality.
FADIR Test
Scour Test
Log Roll Test
Fitzgerald Test
Hip range of motion
Hip internal rotation
Hip external rotation
SIJ provocation tests
Toe Touch Test
Kemp’s Test
Gait assessment
FABER stands for flexion, abduction and external rotation.
Yes. FABER is commonly called Patrick’s Test.
A positive finding may include familiar pain, meaningful restriction, asymmetry, guarding or a painful end-feel.
No. FABER does not diagnose a labral tear on its own.
No. Posterior pelvic pain during FABER may support SIJ-region reasoning, but it should be interpreted with other SIJ provocation tests and history.
Yes. Pain location is essential for interpretation.
Yes. It can help compare hip mobility side to side when measured and recorded consistently.
No. The movement should be gentle and controlled.
The FABER Test places the hip into flexion, abduction and external rotation.
It can provide useful information about hip mobility, symptom response and side-to-side difference.
Pain location strongly influences interpretation.
A positive test does not confirm a specific condition.
A negative test does not fully exclude hip, groin, pelvic or SIJ-region involvement.
Measurz recording should include side, pain location, pain score, range restriction, end-feel and comparison side.
Martin, R. L., Sekiya, J. K., & colleagues. (2008). Clinical examination of the hip and pelvis. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy.
Pålsson, A., Kostogiannis, I., & Ageberg, E. (2020). Combining results from hip impingement and range of motion tests can increase diagnostic accuracy in patients with FAI syndrome. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy, 28, 3382–3392. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-020-06005-5
Reiman, M. P., Goode, A. P., Hegedus, E. J., Cook, C. E., & Wright, A. A. (2013). Diagnostic accuracy of clinical tests of the hip: A systematic review with meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 47(14), 893–902. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2012-091035
Reiman, M. P., Goode, A. P., Cook, C. E., Hölmich, P., & Thorborg, K. (2015). Diagnostic accuracy of clinical tests for the diagnosis of hip femoroacetabular impingement/labral tear: A systematic review with meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 49(12), 811. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2014-094302
Stuber, K. J. (2007). Specificity, sensitivity, and predictive values of clinical tests of the sacroiliac joint: A systematic review of the literature. Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association, 51(1), 30–41.
