Barlow test

System: Muscles, Bones & Joints Signs · All muscles, bones & joints signs

What it is — and how it is elicited

In a newborn, the examiner gently pushes the flexed hip backward and outward; a clunk as the hip slips out of its socket is a positive result.

What a positive finding suggests

Associated with a dislocatable hip in developmental dysplasia of the hip.

◈ Behind the name

Thomas Geoffrey Barlow (1915–1975), British orthopaedic surgeon — a different Barlow from the mitral valve syndrome.

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Please note: This page is an educational reference about clinical examination signs. A clinical sign supports — and never replaces — a full clinical evaluation, examination and appropriate testing. A sign being present does not by itself prove a diagnosis, and an absent sign does not rule one out. If you have symptoms that worry you, see a health professional.