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Clinical exam · Musculoskeletal system

FABER (Patrick) and FADIR tests !

  • Maneuver

Two maneuvers with the leg bent in different positions to tell whether pain comes from the hip, the hip labrum or the sacroiliac joint.

Updated 2026-11-01

See it in 3D: Hip capsule · Acetabular labrum · Femoral head cartilage · Acetabular cartilage · Sacroiliac ligaments · Femur · Hip bone

What it is

FABER (flexion, abduction and external rotation), also called the Patrick or figure-4 test, and FADIR (flexion, adduction and internal rotation) load the hip joint and, in the case of FABER, the sacroiliac joint too. They are sensitive for femoroacetabular impingement and labral tears but not specific: where it hurts matters as much as whether it hurts.

The anatomy it tests

  • FADIR brings the femoral neck against the front rim of the acetabulum and compresses the anterosuperior acetabular labrum, where impingement and most tears occur.
  • FABER stretches the anterior hip capsule and, by pressing on the knee, transmits force to the sacroiliac joint on the same side.
  • The cartilage of the femoral head and acetabulum is loaded in both maneuvers, which is why they hurt in osteoarthritis.
  • The hip receives branches of the obturator and femoral nerves, which also supply the knee: hence referred pain.

How to do it

  1. Patient supine, legs straight, pelvis level.
  2. FABER: place the ankle of the side being tested on the opposite knee, making a figure 4 (hip in flexion, abduction and external rotation).
  3. The examiner steadies the opposite anterior superior iliac spine with one hand and gently presses the bent knee toward the table with the other.
  4. Positive FABER: groin pain, or posterior pain over the sacroiliac joint, or the knee stays clearly higher than on the healthy side.
  5. FADIR: the examiner flexes the hip and knee to 90 degrees, holding the knee and ankle.
  6. Then bring the thigh toward the midline (adduction) and swing the foot outward to rotate the hip inward.
  7. Positive FADIR: it reproduces the patient's pain in the groin or the front of the hip.
  8. Always compare with the healthy side and ask exactly where it hurts.

What a positive result means

  • Groin pain on FABER or FADIR: hip joint disease (osteoarthritis, femoroacetabular impingement, labral tear, loose bodies).
  • Posterior pain over the sacroiliac joint on FABER: sacroiliac dysfunction or inflammation (for example sacroiliitis in ankylosing spondylitis).
  • Lateral pain over the greater trochanter: usually periarticular (greater trochanteric pain syndrome).
  • In children with a limp and hip or knee pain, think of Perthes or slipped epiphysis; the knee can hurt from referred hip pain.
  • A positive result does not name the exact cause; imaging does.

Usefulness and limits

  • They are sensitive, non-specific tests for femoroacetabular impingement and labral lesions.
  • A pelvic radiograph assesses osteoarthritis and bone shape; MR arthrography shows the labrum.

Test yourself

Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.

What do FABER and FADIR stand for?

FABER: flexion, abduction and external rotation. FADIR: flexion, adduction and internal rotation.

On the FABER test, what does groin pain mean and what does posterior pain mean?

Groin pain points to the hip joint; posterior pain over the sacroiliac joint points to that joint.

Which lesions does a positive FADIR suggest?

Femoroacetabular impingement or an acetabular labral tear; it can also hurt in hip osteoarthritis.

Which hip movement is lost first in osteoarthritis?

Internal rotation.

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The structures of Durgical's 3D anatomy where it is found.

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Educational content on the clinical exam; it is learned and practised under supervision. It does not replace assessment by a health professional and is not for self-diagnosis.

Sources: eTable A. Differential Diagnosis of Hip Pain (American Family Physician (American Academy of Family Physicians), 2014); Musculo-Skeletal Examination – Hip Exam (UC San Diego School of Medicine, Practical Guide to Clinical Medicine, 2026).

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