Foot and Ankle: Special Tests Flashcards
Anterior Drawer Test (ankle)
Tests for stability of anterior talofibular ligament
Supine. Stabilize foot at 20º plantarflexion
Stabilize foot; glide tib/fib posteriorly.
Alt: prone, foot off end of table. Stabilize distal tibfib; glide talus/calcanues anteriorly
Positive: excessive anterior translation, thunking
Anterior Talofibular Stress Test
Tests integrity of the anterior talofibular ligament
Seated, knee flexed and lower leg hanging off end of table.
Stabilize anterior tibfib proximal to ankle;
Grasp plantar heal –> gradually PROM plantarflexion, inversion, adduction, with POP
Positive:
SubAcute: local pain at ligament site; slight excessive movement with muscle spasm end-feel; Total rupture may be either hypermobile or false negative because of spasm
Chronic: total rupture painlessly hypermobile
Calcaneofibular Stress Test
Tests for integrity of calcaneofibular stress test
Seated, knee flexed and off table; or side-lying.
Stabilize distal tibfib. Keep neutral (no plantar/dorsiflexion)
Take calcaneus/hindfoot into inversion, with POP
Positive:
Acute – pain local to ligament, excessive movement
Subacute – spasm end feel
Deltoid Ligament Stress Test
AKA External Rotation Stress Test or Kleiger Test
Tests for: integrity of the deltoid ligament
Seated, leg hanging off table.
Stabilize tibfib
Anterior: Eversion + plantarflexion
Middle: Eversion
Posterior: Eversion, dorsiflexion
Positive: pain, hypermobility
Thompson’s test
Tests for 3rd degree Achille’s tendon rupture
Prone, feet off table.
Squeeze calf muscles. Plantarflexion should occur
Positive: no plantarflexion
Squeeze Test
Tests for: inferior tibfib strain, or Morton’s neuroma, stress fracture
Inferior Tibfib: supine. Squeeze tibfib together at mid-calf
Morton’s neuroma, stress fracture: Seated. Squeeze foot at MTP joints
Positive: pain
Tests after inversion sprain
Anterior (ankle) drawer test
Anterior talofibular stress test
Calcaneofibular stress test
Tests after eversion sprain
Deltoid ligament stress test
