Final answer:
The Thomas Test is used to assess hip flexor flexibility, and different outcomes indicate tightness in specific muscles. Failure of the thigh to touch the table or the knee to flex 80 degrees can indicate tight iliopsoas or rectus femoris muscles. The hamstring group is responsible for some movements of the thigh and lower leg.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Thomas Test is a physical examination procedure used to assess the flexibility of the hip flexors, including the iliopsoas muscle group, rectus femoris, and potentially the tensor fascia lata. If the back of the lowered thigh does not touch the table and the knee does not flex 80 degrees, it may indicate tight iliopsoas muscles. If the back of the lowered thigh does touch the table but the knee does not flex to 80 degrees, this could indicate a tight rectus femoris muscle. If the back of the lowered thigh does not touch the table but the knee flexes beyond 80 degrees, there may be an excessive lordosis or tight extensors influencing the position.
It is essential to understand the role of the posterior compartment of the thigh, which is composed of the hamstring group. These muscles, namely the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus, function to move the back of lower legs up and back toward the buttocks — as when kneeling — and they also have a role in movement of the thigh and in twisting the thigh (and lower leg) inward or outward.