Knee

Question 1

Purpose of anterior drawer at knee test?

Answer 1

To detect anterior instability and ACL laxity

Question 2

How to perform anterior drawer test at knee?

Answer 2

• Athlete lying supine with knee flexed to 90 degrees and foot on the bed
• Sit on the foot to stabilise
• Both hands are placed around the tibia with thumbs over the anterior joint line
• The tibia is drawn forwards and a comparison made of the degree of translation compared to the other knee

Question 3

Positive result for anterior drawer test at knee?

Answer 3

Increased anterior translation of tibia and loss of ligamentous integrity (look for difference in end feel)

Question 4

Purpose of posterior drawer test at knee?

Answer 4

To detect posterior instability and PCL laxity

Question 5

How to perform posterior drawer test at knee?

Answer 5

• Athlete lying supine with knee flexed to 90 degrees and foot on the bed
• Sit on the foot to stabilise
• Both hands are placed around the tibia with thumbs over the anterior joint line
• The tibia is pushed backwards and a comparison made of the degree of translation compared to the other knee

Question 6

Positive result for positive drawer test at knee?

Answer 6

Increased posterior translation of tibia and loss of ligamentous integrity (look for difference in end feel)

Question 7

What is Lachmann’s test for?

Answer 7

To detect anterior instability and ACL laxity

Question 8

How to perform Lachmann’s test?

Answer 8

• Athlete supine
• Knee slightly bent with yours underneath
• One hand holds above knee - Other pulls forwards on the tibia to assess anterior translation of the tibia relative to the femur

Question 8

Positive result for Lachmann’s test?

Answer 8

Increased anterior translation of tibia relative to other leg with a change in end-feel

Question 9

What is the posterior sag test for?

Answer 9

To detect posterior instability and PCL laxity

Question 10

How to perform posterior sag test?

Answer 10

Knee in table top position. Look to see if tibial tuberosity sags towards the floor compared to the other leg

Question 11

Purpose of apprehension test aka patella apprehension test?

Answer 11

To test for a previous dislocation. Can also be a good clearing test for someone who dislocated a while ago

Question 12

How to perform apprehension test?

Answer 12

• Ask if they’ve ever dislocated their patella before to their knowledge
• Supine with one knee bent and towel underneath
• Thumbs on medial border of patella. Gently push laterally

Question 13

Positive result for apprehension test?

Answer 13

Pain and/ or apprehension in anticipation of patella subluxation and usually attempts to contract the quadriceps to try to prevent further patella displacement

Question 14

Purpose of MCL stress test?

Answer 14

To detect pain and/or laxity of the MCL

Question 15

How to perform MCL stress test?

Answer 15

• Supine with knee slightly bent
• One hand above knee and one by ankle
• Apply a valgus (inward/ knock knee) gradual pressure
• Repeat the test with knee in full extension

Question 16

Positive result for MCL stress test?

Answer 16

Reproduction of medial knee pain

Increased valgus movement & laxity

Question 17

Purpose of LCL stress test?

Answer 17

To detect pain and/or laxity of the LCL

Question 18

How to perform LCL stress test?

Answer 18

• Supine with leg straight
• One hand above knee and one by ankle
• Apply a varus (outward/ bowlegged) gradual pressure

Question 19

Positive result for LCL stress test?

Answer 19

Reproduction of lateral knee pain

Increased varus movement & laxity

Question 20

Purpose of Thessaly test?

Answer 20

To elicit pain and/or apprehension resulting from medial or lateral meniscal injury

Question 21

How do you perform the Thessaly test?

Answer 21

• Athlete standing on the affected leg holding lightly onto the therapists hands
• Knee slightly bent with fixed foot and tibia
• Rotation into internal & external rotation repeated several times
• Cue them to try and turn at the knee rather than at the hip

Question 22

Positive result for Thessaly test?

Answer 22

Pain, locking or apprehension