Which tests are used to assess hip stability in newborns and infants up to 3 months of age?

Which tests are used to assess hip stability in newborns and infants up to 3 months of age?

• A. Galeazzi and Klisic
• B. Trendelenburg
• C. Romberg
• D. Barlow and Ortolani

Answer: (D)

Assessing hip stability in newborns and young infants relies on maneuvers that directly test whether the thigh can stay seated in the socket. The Ortolani maneuver abducts the hip and gently lifts the femoral head into the acetabulum; a positive finding is a palpable clunk as the head relocates into place. The Barlow maneuver adducts the thigh with gentle posterior pressure to try to push a potentially unstable hip out of the socket; a positive sign is the femoral head slipping behind the acetabulum. Using these maneuvers in newborns up to about three months takes advantage of the hip still being easily movable and reducible, making it possible to detect dislocation early. After this early window, the tests become less reliable as the joint stabilizes and ossification advances. Other tests listed are not primarily used to assess hip stability in this age range: some assess leg length discrepancy or gait/balance in older individuals, while others are less specific or reliable for newborn hip stability.

Assessing hip stability in newborns and young infants relies on maneuvers that directly test whether the thigh can stay seated in the socket. The Ortolani maneuver abducts the hip and gently lifts the femoral head into the acetabulum; a positive finding is a palpable clunk as the head relocates into place. The Barlow maneuver adducts the thigh with gentle posterior pressure to try to push a potentially unstable hip out of the socket; a positive sign is the femoral head slipping behind the acetabulum. Using these maneuvers in newborns up to about three months takes advantage of the hip still being easily movable and reducible, making it possible to detect dislocation early. After this early window, the tests become less reliable as the joint stabilizes and ossification advances. Other tests listed are not primarily used to assess hip stability in this age range: some assess leg length discrepancy or gait/balance in older individuals, while others are less specific or reliable for newborn hip stability.