Question

During mid stance of the right leg, why does the left hip drop 8°?

A) Weakness in the left quadriceps
B) Tightness in the right hip flexors
C) Ankle instability in the right foot
D) Overactive left gluteal muscles

Answer 1

The left hip drops during the mid stance of the right leg due to weakness in the right hip's abductor muscles, particularly the gluteus medius and minimus, which leads to a compensatory Trendelenburg sign.D) Overactive left gluteal muscles

Step-by-step explanation:

During mid stance of the right leg, the left hip drops due to a phenomenon called the Trendelenburg sign, which is indicative of weakness in the hip abductor muscles of the stance leg—in this case, the right leg. The correct answer to why the left hip drops 8° is Overactive left gluteal muscles (Option D). This is because the muscles that should be stabilizing the pelvis on the hip joint of the stance leg are not functioning properly, causing the pelvis to drop on the opposite side. The primary muscles responsible for this stabilization are the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus muscles of the right hip, which are abductor muscles that prevent the hip drop.