Thomas Test: Difference between revisions

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== Purpose<br>  ==
== Purpose<br>  ==


The Thomas Test is used to assess the flexibility of the [http://www.rad.washington.edu/academics/academic-sections/msk/muscle-atlas/lower-body/iliacus iliopsoas] muscle complex.<br>  
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language:EN">The Thomas Test or Iliacus Test
is used to measure the flexibility of the iliopsoas muscle group, the M. Rectus
Femoris, the M. Tensor Fascia Latae and the M. Sartorius </span><span lang="EN-US">are also used in musculoskeletal screening.<ref>↑ D Harvey. Assessment of the flexibility of elite athletes using the modified Thomas test. Br J Sports Med 1998 32: 68-70.</ref></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black;mso-bidi-font-style:
italic">Measuring the flexibility of this muscle is not useful, because we
don’t have a <span style="mso-spacerun:yes">&nbsp;</span>standard meeting length of muscle.</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language:EN"> </span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language:EN">The most important aspect of this test is that
the range of motion<sup> <ref>↑ D Harvey. Assessment of the flexibility of elite athletes using the modified Thomas test. Br J Sports Med 1998 32: 68-70.</ref></sup>&nbsp;of <span style="mso-spacerun:yes">&nbsp;</span>the hip is measured as the various diseases <span style="mso-spacerun:yes">&nbsp;</span>may shown as </span><span class="wordentry"><span lang="EN-US">patellofemoral pain syndrome <ref>↑ Tyler TF, Nicholas SJ, Mullaney MJ, McHugh MP. The role of hip muscle function in the treatment of patellofemoral pain syndrome. Am J Sports Med. 2006 Apr; 34(4):630-6.</ref></span></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language:EN">, l</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="color:#212121">ower back pain<ref>↑ G. Marrè-Brunenghi, R. Camoriano, M. Valle and S. Boero; The psoas muscle as cause of low back pain in infantile cerebral palsy; J Orthop Traumatol. 2008 March; 9(1): 43–47.</ref>, osteoarthritis
and rheumatoid arthritis<ref>John Crawford Adams, David L. Hamblen; Outline of orthopaedics; Churchill Livingstone, 13th edition, 2001 - 459 pagina's</ref></span></span><span lang="EN-US">.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span>


== Technique<ref>Dutton M. Orthopaedic: Examination, evaluation, and intervention. 2nd ed. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc; 2008.fckLRfckLR</ref><br>  ==
== Technique<ref>Dutton M. Orthopaedic: Examination, evaluation, and intervention. 2nd ed. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc; 2008.fckLRfckLR</ref><br>  ==

Revision as of 18:56, 31 January 2011

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Search Strategy[edit | edit source]

Databases: Pubmed, ISI Web of Knowledge, Dynamic Chiropractic, Internet. 

Keywords: Thomas test, Iliacus test, iliopsoas muscle group length measurement.

Definition/Description[edit | edit source]

Patient should be lied on his back and must then maximally flex both knees, using both arms. Then he has to lower one limb toward the table. [1][2]  

Clinically Relevant Anatomy[edit | edit source]

 Iliopsoas muscle group[3]

M.iliopsoas: Main function → thigh flexion    
                   Additional feature→external rotation

M. Rectus Femoris: Main function → thigh flexion                          
                              Additional feature→knee extension                               
M. Tensor Fascia Latae: Main function → thigh flexion    
                                    Additional feature→internal rot., abduction  

M. Sartorius: Main function → thigh flexion    
                    Additional feature→knee flexion

Purpose
[edit | edit source]

The Thomas Test or Iliacus Test is used to measure the flexibility of the iliopsoas muscle group, the M. Rectus Femoris, the M. Tensor Fascia Latae and the M. Sartorius are also used in musculoskeletal screening.[4]Measuring the flexibility of this muscle is not useful, because we don’t have a  standard meeting length of muscle. The most important aspect of this test is that the range of motion [5] of  the hip is measured as the various diseases  may shown as patellofemoral pain syndrome [6], lower back pain[7], osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis[8].  

Technique[9]
[edit | edit source]

The patient should be positioned in supine, with one knee flexed and being held to the chest at the point when the lumbar spine begins to flex.  The therapis assesses the thigh of the opposite leg to determine if it maintains full contact with the treatment surface.  If the thigh is raised off the table, this test is considered to be positive.

A modified version of this test, the Modified Thomas Test, is commonly used.  The patient is positioned in supine at the very edge of the treatment table.  The patient is asked to bring both knees to his/her chest.  While in this position, the patient is to perfrom a posterior pelvic tilt.  While the contralateral hip is held in maximum flexion the tested limb is lowerd back towards the floor.  This test is positive for iliopsoas muscle tightness if the thigh is raised off the table.  If the knee extends when an extension force is applied to the hip, then the rectus femoris is considered tight[10].

Key Research[edit | edit source]

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Resources
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Clinical Bottom Line[edit | edit source]

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Recent Related Research (from Pubmed)[edit | edit source]

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References[edit | edit source]

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  1. ↑ ↑ D Harvey. Assessment of the flexibility of elite athletes using the modified Thomas test. Br J Sports Med 1998 32: 68-70.
  2. ↑ Jeff G. Konin, Holly Brader. Lumbar Spine Special tests for orthopedic examination. Third edition. USA. Slack Incorporated. 2006.p170
  3. ↑ ↑ D Harvey. Assessment of the flexibility of elite athletes using the modified Thomas test. Br J Sports Med 1998 32: 68-70.
  4. ↑ ↑ D Harvey. Assessment of the flexibility of elite athletes using the modified Thomas test. Br J Sports Med 1998 32: 68-70.
  5. ↑ ↑ D Harvey. Assessment of the flexibility of elite athletes using the modified Thomas test. Br J Sports Med 1998 32: 68-70.
  6. ↑ ↑ Tyler TF, Nicholas SJ, Mullaney MJ, McHugh MP. The role of hip muscle function in the treatment of patellofemoral pain syndrome. Am J Sports Med. 2006 Apr; 34(4):630-6.
  7. ↑ ↑ G. Marrè-Brunenghi, R. Camoriano, M. Valle and S. Boero; The psoas muscle as cause of low back pain in infantile cerebral palsy; J Orthop Traumatol. 2008 March; 9(1): 43–47.
  8. ↑ John Crawford Adams, David L. Hamblen; Outline of orthopaedics; Churchill Livingstone, 13th edition, 2001 - 459 pagina's
  9. ↑ Dutton M. Orthopaedic: Examination, evaluation, and intervention. 2nd ed. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc; 2008.fckLRfckLR
  10. ↑ Janda V. Muscle function testing. London: Butterworths; 1983.fckLRfckLR
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