Radiographic and clinical characteristics associated with a positive PART (Prone Apprehension Relocation Test): a new provocative exam to elicit hip instability

Hip instability due to mild dysplasia can be a diagnostic challenge. The physical exam is an important adjunct to radiographic evaluation for the clinical diagnosis of hip instability. Herein, we describe a new maneuver to replicate hip instability pain, called the PART (Prone Apprehension Relocation Test). We retrospectively identified patients in our institution’s hip preservation registry who presented for evaluation of hip pain. We divided patients into ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ PART and analyzed associated clinical and radiographic findings. Ninety patients (159 hips) were included, 83 female and 7 male, average age 27.3 ± 9.1 years. Thirty-four hips (21.4%) had a positive PART. There were no significant differences in hip range of motion, lateral center edge angle, or in acetabular depth. There was, however, a significant difference in acetabular version at 3 o’clock between the two test groups (18.5 ± 6.9° in negative, 21.2 ± 4.9° in positive, P = 0.045). There was no association between PART and previously described anterior apprehension testing. Historical methods of diagnosing hip dysplasia may not adequately identify patients with clinical hip instability. We describe a new provocative exam, the PART, which may be helpful in replicating hip instability symptoms in patients with anterior acetabular undercoverage. PART positive patients had significantly more acetabular anteversion at the 3 o’clock position, which is measured on computed tomography and is not visible on standard anteroposterior (AP) pelvis or false profile radiographs. We believe that the PART is a valuable supplement to clinical examination and radiographic measurements to identify patients with symptomatic hip instability.