The Iliofemoral Bounce Test: Identifying Hip Capsular Insufficiency

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Hip Biomechanics
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• Hip capsular insufficiency is an emerging cause of pre-arthritic hip pain, leading to instability and chondrolabral damage.
• Accurate assessment of capsular integrity is crucial for surgical planning before hip arthroscopy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and describe the iliofemoral bounce test for evaluating hip capsular integrity.
• To provide a preoperative tool for identifying hip microinstability or guiding revision arthroscopy.

Main Methods:

• The iliofemoral bounce test involves specific patient positioning and two examination techniques under general anesthesia.
• Technique 1: Pelvic rocking to assess contralateral hip bounce.
• Technique 2: Knee preload and release with pelvic stabilization to observe return to position.

Main Results:

• A 'bounce' of the contralateral hip (up-and-down knee movement) indicates preserved capsular integrity and elastic recoil.
• Absence of bounce in either technique suggests capsular insufficiency and potential hip joint instability.

Conclusions:

• The iliofemoral bounce test is a novel, dynamic, and reproducible method for assessing hip capsular integrity.
• This test aids clinicians in preoperative planning for appropriate capsular management strategies.