Obert's test is a test used in physical examination

Physical examination

Physical examination or clinical examination is the process by which a doctor investigates the body of a patient for signs of disease. It generally follows the taking of the medical history — an account of the symptoms as experienced by the patient...

 in order to identify contracture

Contracture

A muscle contracture is a permanent shortening of a muscle or joint.. It is usually in response to prolonged hypertonic spasticity in a concentrated muscle area, such as is seen in the tightest muscles of people with conditions like spastic cerebral palsy....

 of the iliotibial band. During the test the patient lies on his/her side with the unaffected leg on bottom and bent and the affected leg on top and straight. The examiner places a stabilizing hand on the patient's upper iliac crest and then lifts the straight upper leg, extends it at the hip and slowly lowers it behind the bottom leg, allowing it to adduct below and behind the examining table. The test result is positive if the patient can't adduct the leg past the examination table.