Gaenslen’s Test | Sacroiliac Joint Pain Provocation | SIJ pain assessment

The Gaenslen’s test has a sensitivity of 53% and a specificity of 71% when it was performed for the right SI joint, and a sensitivity of 50% and specificity of 77% when it was performed for the left SI joint (Laslett et al. 2005). For this reason, is why we attribute this test a weak clinical value due to its low accuracy to diagnose SIJ pain. Laslett et al. (2005) even chose to remove this test from their SI joint pain provocation cluster.

Execution for the right SI joint:
The patient lies supine near the edge of the table. The left leg hangs over the edge of the table and the other hip and knee are flexed towards the patient’s chest.
The examiner applies firm pressure to the knee being flexed to the patient’s chest and a counter-pressure is applied to the knee of the hanging leg, towards the floor.

You would carry the procedure out on both sides and look for the provocation of the patient’s familiar symptoms, indicating a positive test.

Other common orthopedic tests that aim to provoke the sacroiliac joint are:

• Distraction Test
• Sacroiliac Compression Test
• Sacral Thrust Test
• Thigh Thrust Test
• Cluster of Laslett
• Cluster of van der Wurff

Laslett M, Aprill CN, McDonald B, Young SB. Diagnosis of sacroiliac joint pain: validity of individual provocation tests and composites of tests. Manual therapy. 2005 Aug 1;10(3):207-18.