Physical Therapist Guide to Hip Manual Muscle Testing

By dpope2020

September 19, 2025

dan pope, FAI, fitness pain free, hip, hip abduction, hip adduction, hip dysplasia, hip extension, hip extension exercise, hip flexion, hip flexor, hip flexor stretches, hip flexors, hip impingement, hip impingement test, hip joint, Hip Labral Tear, hip mobility, hip mobility exercises, hip mobility stretches, hip pain, Hip Replacement, hip strength testing, mobility, pain relief, physical therapy, physiotherapy, PT, Stretching

Physical Therapist Guide to Hip Manual Muscle Testing

To go along with today's video I have a nice infographic to share...

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In today's video we go over: Physical Therapist Guide to Hip Manual Muscle Testing

As a physical therapist, you already know how critical accurate hip strength assessment is for post-op rehab, return-to-sport criteria, and managing chronic conditions. Yet many PTs still skip or oversimplify hip testing—leading to frustration, unreliable progress tracking, and delayed recovery for patients.

In this video, I’ll break down evidence-based methods for manual muscle testing of the hip using a dynamometer. You’ll learn:

✅ The 4 key hip strength directions every PT should measure (flexion, extension, abduction, adduction)

✅ How to keep your testing reliable and consistent across sessions

✅ Why hip strength is just as important as knee strength for ACL rehab, labral repairs, hip replacements & more

✅ How to use hip strength data for criteria-based progressions and return-to-sport decisions

Whether you’re treating athletes after ACL reconstruction, post-op hip patients, or even runners with chronic hip pain, this step-by-step approach will help you collect valid data and make smarter programming decisions.

TIMELINE

  • 0:00 - Intro
  • 0:12 - Why Care About Hip Strength?
  • 0:40 - Criteria Based Progression
  • 0:56 - Return to Sport
  • 1:42 - Which Dynamometer to Use?
  • 2:05 - Which Movements?
  • 3:23 - Hip Abduction
  • 5:29 - Hip Adduction
  • 6:03 - Hip Flexion
  • 6:42 - Hip Extension
  • 7:34 - What To Do With The Data?
  • 8:01 - Normative Data

Strong Hips!!

- Dan Pope DPT,OCS,CSCS

Show Notes / Relevant Articles:

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Thank you!

Dan Pope DPT, OCS, CSCS

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