FADIR Test: how to assess femoroacetabular impingement of the hip

Anterior hip or groin pain is one of the most common complaints among active people, especially in sports involving a lot of hip flexion (soccer, CrossFit, cycling, dance). One possible cause is femoroacetabular impingement (or hip impingement), and the FADIR test is the fastest and most widely used way to start investigating it.

What does this test measure?

FADIR stands for Flexion, ADduction, and Internal Rotation of the hip. The test aims to reproduce a mechanical conflict between the femoral neck and the rim of the acetabulum (the "socket" of the pelvis where the femoral head sits) — exactly what happens in femoroacetabular impingement (FAI).

By bringing the hip into deep flexion + adduction + internal rotation, that part of the femur and the acetabular rim come closest together, and if there's bony conflict or an associated labral injury, the movement usually reproduces the characteristic pain.

Equipment needed

• A treatment table or surface the person can lie on
• Nothing else — it's a fully manual test

Step-by-step protocol

1. The person lies supine on the table
2. Passively flex the hip and knee on the side being assessed to about 90° or more of hip flexion
3. From there, bring the hip into adduction (the knee moves toward the midline, crossing toward the opposite side) and into internal rotation (the foot moves outward, rotating the thigh inward)
4. Hold the position for a few seconds and ask whether pain appears, and where (groin, lateral, deep)
5. Compare with the opposite side

Common mistakes

• Forcing the movement abruptly instead of progressively, which can produce false positives from simple end-range mechanical discomfort
• Not distinguishing between normal "tightness" in the glutes/posterior capsule and sharp groin pain (which is what the test is actually looking for)
• Performing the test on people with acute pain or suspected fracture without prior medical assessment

How to interpret the result

Result	Interpretation
Negative (no pain, full range of motion)	No signs suggestive of impingement on this test
Sharp pain in the groin/anterior region at the end of the movement	Positive — suggests possible femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) or associated labral injury
Marked range limitation without clear pain	May indicate a hip mobility restriction (posterior capsule, rotators) rather than active FAI

FADIR has good sensitivity but low specificity: many people without pathology may notice discomfort in this extreme range. A positive result is a signal to dig deeper into the assessment (combine it with other tests, take a history) and, if FAI is genuinely suspected, refer for imaging (X-ray, MRI).

Related tests

FADIR pairs especially well with:

• FABER (Patrick's) test — if anterior pain also appears in positions of flexion-abduction-external rotation, it reinforces suspicion of intra-articular involvement
• Scour test — another hip provocation test that explores femoroacetabular contact from a different angle

Track and monitor

For people with suspected impingement, the usual approach is to work on modifying movement mechanics and hip strength/control to reduce irritation, while assessing whether a more specific intervention is needed. Tracking whether FADIR remains positive (and at what pain intensity) over the weeks gives you an objective sense of whether the approach is working. With Movalytics you can log the FADIR result alongside pain intensity and compare its evolution with the client's other hip tests.

Frequently asked questions

Does a positive FADIR confirm femoroacetabular impingement? Not on its own. It's a screening test with high sensitivity but low specificity: it helps "not rule out" the suspicion, but a definitive diagnosis requires medical assessment and imaging (X-ray/MRI). Is it normal to feel some tightness during FADIR even without pathology? Yes, in deep flexion + adduction + internal rotation it's common to feel tension in the glutes or posterior capsule. What matters for the test is sharp pain in the groin, not that general tightness. Can I keep training with a positive FADIR? In many cases yes, by adapting the range of motion and load in exercises that reproduce that position (deep squats, certain soccer or CrossFit movements), but a more complete assessment is always advisable before deciding on the approach.