What is the purpose of the Standing Flexion Test?

• A. To assess lumbar spine mobility
• B. To assess sacroiliac joint movement asymmetry
• C. To evaluate hip abductor strength
• D. To measure sacral base angle

Answer: (B)

The Standing Flexion Test is used to detect asymmetry in sacroiliac joint movement during forward bending. When a patient stands and bends forward, the clinician palpates the PSISs (the dimples at the back). If both sides move in sync, the movement is normal. If one side moves differently—typically the PSIS on one side moves sooner or more than the other—that asymmetry points to sacroiliac joint dysfunction on that side. This helps localize SI joint issues rather than implicating the lumbar spine, hip abductors, or sacral base angle (which require different assessments).