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Trendelenburg sign
System: Muscles, Bones & Joints Signs · All muscles, bones & joints signs
What it is — and how it is elicited
Standing on one leg, the pelvis drops down on the opposite (unsupported) side instead of rising, because the hip abductor muscles are too weak to hold it level.
What a positive finding suggests
Associated with weakness of the gluteus medius, hip dislocation or hip joint disease on the standing side.
◈ Behind the name
Friedrich Trendelenburg (1844–1924), German surgeon.
Related signs — Muscles, Bones & Joints Signs
Browse the T section of the A–Z list or return to the Clinical Signs hub.
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.