In 39 patients with pelvic injury, four clinical tests were performed during physical examination. Of these four tests, the positive and negative hip flexion test (active flexion of the hip with extension of the knee) had the highest predictive value for the presence (95 per cent) or the absence of pelvic fractures (90 per cent), respectively. The predictive values of the other three tests (downward compression on the pubic bone, compression on the iliac rings, and distraction pressure on the iliac crests) were considerably lower.