ELY'S

TEST

​• Test positioning

The client lies prone.

The therapist stands on one side of the table next to the client's leg, placing one hand over the ipsilateral pelvic region.

​• Action

The therapist passively flexes the client's knee and notes the reaction at the hip joint.

This test is repeated on the other side for comparison.

​• Positive finding

If the hip also flexes when the knee is flexed, a tight rectus femoris is indicated.

​• Special considerations & comments

This test may be uncomfortable when performed on a client who has pelvic or sacroiliac dysfunction due to the prone positioning.

Ely’s Test, named after Dr. Fred Ely, was developed through his work on rectus femoris tightness and its influence on pelvic tilt.

Contributions from Dr. James Cyriax and Dr. Vladimir Janda have helped refine its use in functional assessments of hip flexibility.