ACE Personal Trainer Practice Exam

What does it suggest if a client's back leg is slightly off the surface during the Thomas Test?

1. The iliotibial band is tight

2. The rectus femoris is tight

3. The hip flexors are flexible

4. The pelvic alignment is correct

The correct answer is: The rectus femoris is tight

When a client's back leg is slightly off the surface during the Thomas Test, it suggests that the rectus femoris is tight. The Thomas Test is designed to assess hip flexor tightness, particularly focusing on the psoas major and the rectus femoris. In this test, the client lies supine on a table and brings one knee to the chest while allowing the other leg to hang off the edge. If the back leg is raised off the table instead of lying flat, it indicates that the rectus femoris, which crosses both the hip and the knee joint, has restricted flexibility. This limitation prevents the back leg from lying flat on the testing surface, signaling tightness in the muscle. A flexible hip flexor would allow the leg to remain in contact with the surface, while assessing pelvic alignment is not directly determined by this specific observation. Tightness in the iliotibial band may result in other compensations but is not indicated specifically by this position of the back leg during the test. Therefore, the noticeable elevation of the back leg points to tightness in the rectus femoris specifically.