FABER Test: Pain in the hip region during testing indicates which pathology?

• A. Hip pathology
• B. SI pathology
• C. Knee pathology
• D. Lumbar pathology

Answer: (A)

The FABER test stresses the hip joint by placing the hip in flexion, abduction, and external rotation and then applying downward pressure on the knee. When pain is felt in the hip region (often the groin area) during this maneuver, it points to pathology within the hip joint itself—such as a labral tear, femoroacetabular impingement, early osteoarthritis, or other intra-articular problems. The test helps differentiate hip-origin pain from issues in the SI joint, knee, or lumbar spine: pain localized to the hip argues for hip pathology, whereas pain felt in the SI region would suggest SI joint problems, knee-area pain would suggest knee pathology, and back pain would imply lumbar involvement. Keep in mind the test isn’t perfectly specific, so the location of pain during the maneuver guides interpretation in the broader clinical context.