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Trendelenburg's symptom

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Sign of congenital dislocation of the hip joint. Clinical sign in static insufficiency of the gluteal muscles, for instance as a result of luxation of the hip joint.

If the child stands on the leg on the affected side, pelvis is tilted down towards the sound side and the buttock sags down. Normally the pelvis tilts upwards and the buttock therefore rises. The body will attempt to restore equilibrium and gait in shifting the upper part of the body to the loaded side. In double-sided luxation of the hip joint the upper part of the body is therefore swaying from side to side.

This sign is also seen in late Perthes disease (osteochondropathia deformans coxae juvenilis), infantile paralysis of the gluteal muscles, old fractures in the neck of the femur and advanced osteo-arthritis.

Bibliography

  • F. Trendelenburg:
    Über den Gang bei angeborener Hüftgelenksluxation.
    Deutsche medicinische Wochenschrift, Berlin, 1895, 21: 21-24.

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