Tests for Muscle Tightness Muscle Length Test (MLT) - "Muscle length testing involves elongating the muscle in the direction opposite of its action while assessing its resistance to passive lengthening. 1-Modified Thomas’s test: AIM: measure the flexibility of the hip flexors. METHOD: The patient lies supine on the edge of the treatment table • The patient then flexes the opposite knee and hip towards the chest to keep the lumbar spine flat and in contact with the table during the test. • the affected thigh allowed to hang off at the end of the table, Gentle overpressure can be applied to the anterior thigh to further assess the range of available hip extension. POSITIVE RESULTS: The following structures may be considered during a positive test. Sign Structures affected Flexed hip Psoas muscles Extended knee Quadriceps, rectus femoris Abducted hip and /or medial rotation Tensor fascia lata, iliotibial band Abduction hip and /or lateral rotation Sartorius Modified Thomas Test. A) Normal muscle length. B) Decreased rectus femoris length. C) Decreased Psoas muscles length. D) Tensor fasciae lata and iliotibial band tightness (abducted hip). Ely’s Test (Tight Rectus Femoris) Indication: This test is used to assess tightness of the rectus femoris Method: Patient lies prone, and the examiner passively flexes the patient’s knee Positive result: On flexion of the knee patient’s hip on the same side spontaneously flexes, indicating that the rectus femoris muscle is tight on that side. Ober's Test Indication: This test is used to assess tightness of the iliotibial band Method: The patient lies on the unaffected side. The lower leg is flexed at the hip and knee. The examiner then passively abducts and extends the patient’s upper leg with the knee flexed to90° (Original Ober’s test) or straight (Modified Ober’s test). Positive result: when the leg remains abducted and does not fall to the level of the table the iliotibial band is tight Piriformis Test. Indication: to test the tightness of piriformis Methods: The patient is in the side lying position with the test leg uppermost. The patient flexes the test hip to 60° with the knee flexed. The examiner stabilizes the hip with one hand· and applies a downward pressure to the knee. Positive results: If the piriformis muscle is tight, pain is elicited in the muscle. The straight leg raising test (SLR) Indication: to test the length of the hamstring muscles Method: The subject has normal length of the hamstrings: the hip can be passively flexed to 70 to 80 degrees with the knee held in full extension.