FABER test: how to perform and interpret it
The FABER test (Patrick's test) screens for hip and sacroiliac joint pain. Place the patient's leg in flexion, abduction and external rotation in a figure-4 position, then gently press the knee toward the table. Groin pain points to the hip joint; buttock or posterior pelvic pain points to the sacroiliac joint.
Purpose
To stress the hip joint and the sacroiliac joint through combined flexion, abduction and external rotation.
How to perform the FABER test
- Position the patient supine.
- Place the ankle of the test leg just above the opposite knee (figure-4).
- Stabilise the opposite side of the pelvis at the ASIS.
- Gently apply downward pressure on the medial knee of the test leg.
- Note where pain is felt and compare range with the other side.
Positive result and interpretation
Reproduction of the patient's familiar pain, or clearly reduced range compared with the other side.
Anterior groin pain suggests intra-articular hip pathology such as osteoarthritis, impingement or labral pathology. Posterior pelvic pain suggests a sacroiliac source. It is not specific to either, so cluster it.
Cluster it with
- FADIR test
- Hip internal rotation range
- SIJ provocation cluster (distraction, thigh thrust, compression, sacral thrust)
Common mistakes
- Not asking where the pain is - location is the key to interpretation.
- Forgetting to stabilise the opposite pelvis.
- Using it alone to diagnose sacroiliac joint pain.
Frequently asked questions
What does FABER stand for?
Flexion, ABduction and External Rotation - the hip position used in the test.
What does pain in the groin during the FABER test mean?
Groin pain suggests the hip joint itself, such as osteoarthritis, femoroacetabular impingement or a labral lesion, and should be followed with FADIR and range-of-motion testing.