Hip
Pediatric / Congenital
Evidence: confirmed
Barlow's Test Special Test
Orthopedic Physical Examination & Clinical Assessment Guide
What is it used for?
- Provoking dislocation in an unstable hip (Newborn DDH).
How to Perform
- Position: Infant supine.
- Action: Adduct the hip while applying posterior pressure on the knee.
Interpretation of Results
- Positive Test: A palpable "clunk" as the femoral head slips out of the acetabulum (Dislocation).
Diagnostic Accuracy
- Sensitivity: 66%
Clinical Context & Limitations
The Barlow's Test should be considered as one component of a comprehensive musculoskeletal assessment. No single special test has perfect diagnostic accuracy; thus, clinical decision-making should integrate test results with patient-reported symptoms, mechanism of injury, functional impairment, and relevant imaging.
Clinicians should be aware of potential false-positive results in patients with pain sensitisation, muscle guarding, or poor relaxation. For the Hip region, combining the Barlow's Test with complementary examination tests significantly improves overall diagnostic confidence.
References
- Miller, M. D. (2020). Miller's Review of Orthopaedics.
