The FABER test also called Patrick’s test is a simple bedside manoeuvre that places the hip into Flexion, ABduction and External Rotation to help distinguish hip joint pain from sacroiliac and lumbar spine pain. The calculator below records where pain is reproduced and the knee-to-table distance on each side, then returns a structured interpretation you can compare against the reference chart on this page. Use it as an educational reference alongside a full clinical examination never as a substitute for assessment by your own clinician.
How the FABER test works
The FABER test is a pain-provocation manoeuvre. By flexing, abducting and externally rotating the hip, the examiner loads the anterior hip joint and simultaneously applies a rotational stress across the ipsilateral sacroiliac (SI) joint. Because two structures are stressed at once, the test is a screening tool rather than a diagnostic one: where the pain appears matters far more than whether pain appears at all.
What the FABER acronym stands for
- F — Flexion: the hip and knee are bent to roughly 90°.
- AB — ABduction: the thigh is carried away from the midline.
- ER — External Rotation: the thigh rotates outward so the ankle can rest above the opposite knee.
Some textbooks add a final “E” for Extension and write the manoeuvre as FABERE. The variant names Patrick’s test, Patrick FABER test and FABER Patrick test all describe the same examination, named after the American neurologist Hugh Patrick, who described it in the early twentieth century.
Step-by-step FABER test procedure
- The patient lies supine on a firm examination table, arms relaxed at the sides.
- The examiner flexes the hip and knee on the tested side and places the lateral malleolus (outer ankle bone) just above the opposite knee, forming a “figure 4”.
- One hand stabilises the opposite anterior superior iliac spine to prevent the pelvis rotating.
- The other hand applies a slow, gentle downward pressure to the flexed knee, letting the thigh abduct and externally rotate toward the table.
- The examiner records where pain is reproduced, whether movement is restricted, and the vertical knee-to-table distance.
- The uninvolved side is tested for comparison. This side-to-side comparison is what the FABER test calculator on this page quantifies.
Applying a simultaneous downward force to the flexed knee and the opposite anterior superior iliac spine increases the stress across the sacroiliac joint, which is why the manoeuvre appears in most SI joint provocation batteries described by StatPearls’ review of sacroiliac joint pain.
Positive FABER test: what the result means
A positive FABER test simply means the manoeuvre reproduced the patient’s familiar pain, or that the tested knee sat noticeably higher off the table than the other side. On its own it is not a diagnosis. The interpretation depends almost entirely on the location of the pain, as summarised below.
| Where the pain is felt | Structure most likely involved | Conditions to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Groin or front of the hip | Hip joint (anterior) | Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome, acetabular labral tear, hip osteoarthritis, iliopsoas pathology |
| Buttock, over the posterior pelvis | Sacroiliac joint | SI joint dysfunction, sacroiliitis, axial spondyloarthritis |
| Lower back, above the pelvis | Lumbar spine | Facet joint irritation, referred lumbar pain |
| Lateral hip / greater trochanter | Peritrochanteric soft tissue | Gluteal tendinopathy, trochanteric bursitis |
| No pain, but the knee will not lower | Capsular or muscular restriction | Adductor or iliopsoas tightness, capsular stiffness, early osteoarthritis |
Measuring FABER distance and comparing sides
Beyond pain, clinicians often record the FABER distance — the vertical distance from the lateral aspect of the tested knee down to the examination table, measured in centimetres. There is no single universally agreed cut-off value, so the meaningful figure is the difference between sides. A tested knee that sits substantially higher than the contralateral knee suggests restricted hip abduction and external rotation on that side, and is often tracked over time as a rehabilitation outcome measure. Record the measurement the same way at every visit, with the pelvis stabilised, or the numbers will not be comparable.
Accuracy and limitations of the FABER test
The FABER test is sensitive but not specific. Because the manoeuvre loads the hip and the SI joint at once, a positive result narrows the field rather than confirming a diagnosis. In a study of patients with low back pain, a positive Patrick–FABER sign showed roughly 76% sensitivity and 66% specificity for MRI-confirmed sacroiliitis, with an overall accuracy near 70% — useful for deciding who should proceed to sacroiliac MRI, but far from conclusive on its own (Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology, via PubMed).
Because no single manoeuvre is both sensitive and specific for SI joint dysfunction, clinicians typically require three or more positive provocation tests before attributing pain to that joint. For the hip, the Warwick Agreement on FAI syndrome is explicit that diagnosis requires the triad of symptoms, positive clinical signs and supportive imaging — a positive FABER test satisfies only the middle element. The test is also used in paediatric practice, where a positive Patrick manoeuvre helps flag an irritable hip, as described in StatPearls’ chapter on transient synovitis.
FABER and FADIR test: how the two compare
The FABER and FADIR test pair is routinely performed together in hip assessment, because the two manoeuvres move the hip in opposite directions and stress different structures. FADIR stands for Flexion, ADduction and Internal Rotation.
| Feature | FABER test (Patrick’s test) | FADIR test |
|---|---|---|
| Hip position | Flexion, abduction, external rotation | Flexion, adduction, internal rotation |
| Structures loaded | Anterior hip joint, sacroiliac joint, lumbar spine | Anterosuperior labrum and femoral head–neck junction |
| Classic positive finding | Groin pain (hip) or buttock pain (SI joint) | Sharp anterior groin pain, sometimes with clicking |
| Main clinical use | Screening; separating hip from SI and lumbar sources | Screening for anterior impingement and labral pathology |
| Specificity | Low — several structures stressed at once | Low — high sensitivity, frequent false positives |
In practice a clinician reads the two together. Groin pain on FADIR with groin pain on FABER points toward intra-articular hip pathology; buttock pain on FABER with a negative FADIR shifts attention toward the sacroiliac joint. You can model this pattern with our FADIR test calculator and cross-check the wider picture using the hip pain assessment calculator.
Frequently asked questions about the FABER test
What does the FABER test test for?
The FABER test screens for pathology in the hip joint, the sacroiliac joint and, less often, the lumbar spine. It is used to identify the likely source of groin, buttock or lower back pain, not to confirm a specific diagnosis.
What is a positive FABER test?
A FABER test is positive when the figure-4 position reproduces the patient’s familiar pain, or when the tested knee cannot lower as far as the opposite knee. Groin pain suggests a hip joint problem; buttock pain suggests the sacroiliac joint.
Is the FABER test the same as Patrick’s test?
Yes. Patrick’s test, the Patrick FABER test and Faber’s test all refer to the same manoeuvre. Some sources call it FABERE, adding a final “E” for extension.
How accurate is the FABER test?
Published sensitivity for detecting MRI sacroiliitis is around 76%, with specificity near 66%. The test is therefore a reasonable screening tool but cannot confirm a diagnosis by itself; imaging and additional provocation tests are needed.
Does a positive FABER test mean I have hip arthritis?
No. A positive result only indicates that the hip, sacroiliac joint or surrounding tissues are sensitive to the manoeuvre. Osteoarthritis, femoroacetabular impingement, a labral tear, muscle tightness and sacroiliitis can all produce the same finding.
What is a normal FABER distance?
There is no single normal value. Clinicians compare the knee-to-table distance on the tested side with the opposite side; a clearly larger distance on one side indicates restricted hip abduction and external rotation there.
Can I perform the FABER test on myself at home?
Self-testing is unreliable because the pelvis cannot be stabilised properly and the downward force cannot be graded. If the figure-4 position provokes groin, buttock or back pain, record what you felt and discuss it with a clinician rather than drawing conclusions from it.
Educational reference only. This page and the accompanying FABER test calculator are provided by clinicaltoolslibrary.com for education. They do not constitute medical advice, a diagnosis or a treatment recommendation. Physical examination findings must be interpreted by a qualified clinician in the context of the full history, examination and, where indicated, imaging. Always follow the guidance of your own prescriber or clinician, and confirm any figures against primary sources before acting on them.
Related tools: the straight leg raise test calculator for suspected lumbar radiculopathy, and the Oswestry Disability Index calculator for tracking functional impact over time.
