Physical examination of the hip and pelvis

Hip and pelvis injuries are common in both sports medicine and primary care practices. The hip and pelvis are often viewed as a black box because of the complex anatomy and overlapping pain referral patterns. Use of a systemic physical examination will assist the clinician in demystifying this region of the body and narrowing the differential diagnosis. A thorough lower extremity neurologic examination should be included in the evaluation of the hip and pelvis. Special tests are used in concert to gather a more complete picture of the patient's biomechanical deficits.