Fabrex: A New Clinical Test for Diagnosis Gluteal Tendinopathy

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to describe a simple and accurate semiological method executing a specific maneuver with the lower limb to direct the semiological investigation towards the tendinopathies in the gluteus medius and minimus. Methods: Fifty patients participated in the study, with a mean age of 44.1 ± 13 years, with persistent pain on the side of the hip for more than three months. To compare the FABREX (proposed test) and Lequesne semiological tests, in the diagnosis of tendinopathies in the gluteus medius and minimus, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was adopted as the gold standard. Results: FABREX presented high sensitivity and moderate specificity for tendinopathy in the gluteus medius and high sensitivity and specificity for tendinopathy in the gluteus minimus. Conclusion: The proposed test, when positive, can be used to determine the diagnosis of gluteal tendinopathies (high specificity). Moreover, it has high sensitivity, excluding the diagnosis when negative. This study represents the initial step for validating the FABREX test, and can therefore be considered a simple and accurate procedure to identify patients with or without gluteal tendinopathies. Level of Evidence III, Case Control Study.