Examining joints Flashcards
What causes a waddling gait (Trendelenburg gait)?
- loss of hip abductor function / weak gluteus medius
What causes an antalgic gait (painful limp)?
- caused by any painful condition (patient tries to offload the painful limb by quickening and shortening the weight-bearing stance phase of the gait cycle)
What causes a short-leg gait (dipping off shoulder on affected side)?
- any condition causing significant leg discrepancy
What causes a high-stepping gait (knee is flexed and foot is lifted high to avoid foot dragging on floor)?
- nerve palsy (peroneal or sciatic)
- sometimes called foot drop
What causes a stiff knee gait (knee cleared of floor by swinging out away from the body)?
- fusion of knee
What are the main steps to an examination?
- LOOK: check for swelling, muscle wasting, scars, erythema, and deformity
- FEEL: palpate the joint, noting any effusions, tenderness, and heat
- MOVE: demonstrate joint movement actively and passively
- SPECIAL TESTS
- note: also examine joints above and below
Lower limb dermatomes…
Reflexes tested…
- knee: L3-L4
- ankle: L5-S1
- plantar
Upper limb dermatomes…
Reflexes tested…
- biceps: C5-C6
- triceps: C7
- brachioradialis: C6-C7
Vertebral column diagram…
Testing lower-limb muscle function (myotomes)…
Nerve roots tested : muscle action
- L1, L2 : hip flexion (iliopsoas)
- L3 : knee flexion (quadriceps)
- L4 : ankle dorsiflexion (tibialis anterior)
- L5 : great toe extension (extensor hallucis longus)
- S1 : ankle plantar flexion (soleus/gastrocnemius)
Testing upper-limb muscle function (myotomes)…
Nerve roots tested : muscle action
- C5 : shoulder abduction
- C6, C7 : shoulder adduction
- C5, C6 : elbow flexion
- C7, C8 : elbow extension
- C6, C7 : wrist flexion / extension
- C7, C8 : MCP/IP flexion/extension
- T1 : MCP abduction/adduction
How do you measure true-leg length in a hip examination?
- measure both limbs from ASIS (anterior-superior iliac spine) to medial malleolus and compare the values
- (note: apparent leg length is belly button to medial malleolus)
What does tenderness over the greater trochanter indicate?
- trochanteric bursitis
What movements are tested in a hip examination?
- hip flexion / extension
- hip abduction / adduction
- hip internal / external rotation
What special tests are carried out in a hip examination?
- Thomas’ test (test for fixed flexion deformity): patient positioned supine, opposite hip is flexed fully, lordosis is felt, if extended hip lifts off couch then positive test
- Trendelenburg test (test for weak hip abductors / weak gluteus medius): patient holds onto your hands and lifts leg off ground, if hip tilts down then positive test for opposite leg
What are you looking for in an examination of the knee?
- quadriceps wasting (measure thigh circumference)
- note any effusions, scars, erythema, or evidence of psoriasis
- varus/valgus deformities
Why do we palpate the posterior aspect of the knee in a knee examination?
- a Baker’s cyst or bursa may be present
What movements are tested in a knee examination?
- knee flexion/extension (feel for patella crepitus)
- note any fixed flexion or hyperextension of the knee
What special tests are carried out in a knee examination?
- patellar tap test (test for effusion): fluid pushed from suprapatellar pouch, if patellar bounces then +ve
- swipe test (test for effusion): more sensitive to smaller effusions
- anterior/posterior draw test (ACL/PCL)
- (posterior sag: tibia falls posteriorly if PCL ruptured)
- lateral/medial collateral ligaments
What are you looking for in an ankle/foot examination?
- erythema, swelling, scars
- any evidence of psoriatic changes to nails and skin
- note: synovitis of ankle usually produces diffuse swelling (lateral and medial malleoli contours not clear)
- flat feet (Pes planus): can cause valgus deformity of the heel
- hallux valgus: deformity of great toe (abducted at MTP joint)
What movements are tested in an ankle/foot examination?
- inversion/eversion (subtalar joint)
- plantar flexion and dorsiflexion: midtarsal joint
- inversion/eversion: midtarsal joint (stabilise heel and move foot)
- movements of MTP, PIP, and DIP joints should also be tested
What special test is performed in an ankle/foot examination?
- squeeze patient’s calf to check for Achilles tendon rupture
- +ve test: foot does not plantar flex
What are you looking for in a spinal examination?
- patient’s posture: check for cervical lordosis, thoracic kyphosis, and lumbar lordosis
- muscle wasting, asymmetry, scoliosis (scoliosis more clearly seen when patient bends over)
What are we feeling in a spinal examination?
- spinous processes
- paraspinal muscles
- sacroiliac joints