Which statement is true regarding gluteus medius trigger point assessment?

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Seeking gluteus medius trigger points is most reliable when the hip is positioned to place tension along the muscle’s fibers and make a taut band easy to feel. External rotation of the hip accomplishes this by aligning the gluteus medius fibers and positioning the tenderness in the lateral hip region where the muscle is most prominent, facilitating palpation of a trigger point. It also minimizes interference from surrounding muscles that could obscure the point, giving a clearer, reproducible assessment.

If the hip were internally rotated, the posterior fibers shorten and the taut band becomes harder to detect. Flexing and adducting changes which muscles are active and can shift focus away from the mid-portion of the gluteus medius, making pinpoint palpation less reliable. Standing provides less control over the exact hip orientation and pressure, which makes consistent palpation of a trigger point more difficult.