Test to evaluate a tight, contracted, or inflamed iliotibial tract; the patient lies on the uninvolved side and the involved hip is abducted by the examiner as the knee is flexed to 90 degrees; the hip is allowed to adduct passively; the degree of abduction or the production of pain along the iliotibial tract can assist in identifying the location of the inflammation or contracture.

The Ober test is a physical examination test used to assess the tightness of the iliotibial (IT) band, a thick band of fascia that runs down the outside of the thigh from the hip to the knee. Tightness or restriction of the IT band can cause pain or discomfort in the knee, hip, or lateral thigh.

To perform the Ober test, the patient lies on their side with the lower leg slightly bent for stability. The examiner stands behind the patient and lifts the upper leg into a flexed and adducted position, so that the knee is pointing upward and the hip is rotated inward. The examiner then releases the leg, allowing it to fall toward the table or mat. If the IT band is tight or restricted, the leg will remain abducted and will not fall to the table. The examiner can also apply gentle pressure to the leg to assist in adducting the leg toward the table.

If the leg falls easily to the table, the test is considered negative, indicating that the IT band is not tight or restricted. If the leg does not fall to the table and remains abducted, the test is considered positive, suggesting that the IT band is tight or restricted.

The Ober test is commonly used in sports medicine and physical therapy to assess IT band tightness in patients with symptoms of lateral knee pain, hip pain, or iliotibial band syndrome. It is a relatively simple and non-invasive test that can help guide treatment decisions, such as stretching exercises, manual therapy, or other interventions to improve IT band flexibility and reduce pain.