While a patient is walking in the parallel bars, the pelvis drops down on the side opposite the stance extremity. This gait deviation is an indication of weakness of the hip:

While a patient is walking in the parallel bars, the pelvis drops down on the side opposite the stance extremity. This gait deviation is an indication of weakness of the hip:

• A. abductors of the stance extremity
• B. adductors of the stance extremity
• C. abductors of the swing extremity
• D. adductors of the swing extremity

Answer: (A)

During walking, the hip abductors of the stance leg, mainly the gluteus medius and minimus, stabilize the pelvis so it stays level while one leg is bearing weight. If these muscles are weak, they can’t keep the pelvis from dropping toward the swinging limb, so the pelvis tilts downward on the side opposite the stance leg. That pattern—pelvis dropping on the side away from the leg in stance—is a classic sign of weakness in the stance hip abductors. The other muscle groups listed don’t serve this stabilizing role during single-leg stance, so their weakness wouldn’t produce this exact sign; abductors of the swing leg affect movement of the moving leg rather than keeping the pelvis level during stance, and adductors aren’t the primary stabilizers for pelvis level in this context.

During walking, the hip abductors of the stance leg, mainly the gluteus medius and minimus, stabilize the pelvis so it stays level while one leg is bearing weight. If these muscles are weak, they can’t keep the pelvis from dropping toward the swinging limb, so the pelvis tilts downward on the side opposite the stance leg. That pattern—pelvis dropping on the side away from the leg in stance—is a classic sign of weakness in the stance hip abductors. The other muscle groups listed don’t serve this stabilizing role during single-leg stance, so their weakness wouldn’t produce this exact sign; abductors of the swing leg affect movement of the moving leg rather than keeping the pelvis level during stance, and adductors aren’t the primary stabilizers for pelvis level in this context.