When performing an assessment of the hips on an infant, you would expect a positive Ortolani sign to:

• A. Create a palpable clicking sensation
• B. Dislocate the femoral head of an unstable hip joint
• C. Reduce a dislocated femoral head
• D. Indicate hip stability

Answer: (C)

Ortolani sign tests for a hip that is dislocated but reducible. When you flex the infant’s hips and knees to 90 degrees and gently abduct, a positive sign is felt as the femoral head relocates into the acetabulum, producing a distinct clunk. This relocation confirms a hip that was dislocated and can be reduced with gentle maneuvering. It does not indicate stability. So the sign describes reducing a dislocated femoral head.