During the Thomas Test, what position should the patient be in initially?

• A. Sitting at the edge of the table
• B. Standing with feet together
• C. Lying supine on the table
• D. Kneeling on the floor

Answer: (A)

In the Thomas Test, the appropriate initial position for the patient is lying supine on a table. This test is designed to assess for hip flexor tightness, particularly the iliopsoas muscle. When the patient is supine, the angle and length of the hip and knee joints can be effectively assessed.

The patient starts by lying flat on their back while one knee is brought towards the chest to flatten the lumbar spine and stabilize the pelvis. This allows the examiner to observe the position of the other leg that is extended. If the thigh of the extended leg rises from the table, it indicates tightness in the hip flexors.

Other positions such as sitting, standing, or kneeling do not provide the same necessary alignment and muscle length tension needed to accurately assess hip flexibility and tightness. Therefore, supine is the only suitable position for conducting this specific assessment effectively.