Barlow Maneuver: Sensitivity and Specificity

Introduction: None written. Excerpt from the entry in Congenital Hip Dysplasia:
For the examinations, the infant's hips are flexed to 90 degrees; the thumbs of the examiner are placed on the medial proximal thigh, and the long fingers are placed over the greater trochanter. The Barlow maneuver is performed by adducting the hip while pushing the thigh posteriorly. If the hip goes out of the socket, it is called "dislocatable" and the test is termed "positive." The dislocation is confirmed by performing the Ortolani maneuver to reduce or relocate the hip.

This test has very limited sensitivity in inexperienced hands.