Passive hip rotation range of motion: effects of testing position and age in runners and non-runners

Abstract

Normative values for passive hip rotation range of motion (ROM) are not well established and may be modified by testing position, age, and activity. The purpose of this study was to examine whether hip rotation ROM differs (1) between prone and sitting positions, (2) with respect to age, and (3) between runners and non-runners. Eighteen runners (9 males, 9 females, age=36.6 - 12.1 years) and 16 non-runners (7 males, 9 females, age =34.8 - 14.5 years) participated in the study. Passive hip rotation ROM was measured with a universal goniometer in the sitting and prone positions. Passive hip rotation ROM was greater (P<0.001) when measured in the prone position (94.8° - 13.3°) compared to sitting (81.7° - 11.6°), decreased across subjects with increasing age (P h 0.01), and was lower in runners (76.9° - 9.7°) than non-runners (87.1° - 11.4°) when measured in sitting (P=0.008). When comparing patient ROM values with normative data, clinicians should be aware that passive hip rotation ROM differs when measured in the prone and sitting positions and decreases as age increases. Runners have less passive hip rotation ROM than non-runners when rotation is measured in the sitting position.