Knee exam Flashcards

1
Q

Anterior inspection of knee

A
  • quadriceps bulk
  • knee swelling/deformity
  • foot deformity
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2
Q

Lateral inspection of the knee

A
  • knee flexion
  • arches
  • foot deformity
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3
Q

Posterior inspection of knee

A
  • iliac crest alignment
  • gluteal muscle bulk
  • popliteal swellings
  • hindfoot abnormalities
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4
Q

After inspection, what palpation-type examinations do you perform?

A

1) Assess and compare joint temperature
2) Palpate knee with leg straight
3) Patella tap
4) Swipe test
5) Palpate knee at 90deg flexion
6) Measure and compare quadriceps circumference

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5
Q

After palpation, what active examinations and special tests are done?

A

1) Active knee flexion and extension
2) Passive knee flexion/extension
3) passive knee hyperextension
4) ant/post drawer test
5) Lachman’s test
6) Assessment of medial/lat collateral ligaments

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6
Q

What are you looking for on posterior inspection of the knee?

A

SCARS

WASTING
- asymmetry in the muscle bulk suggestive of disuse atrophy or LMN lesion.

POPLITEAL SWELLINGS

  • Baker’s cyst
  • popliteal aneurysm
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7
Q

Gait assessment knee exam

A
  • toe off/heel strike abnormalities
  • ROM
  • Limp- joint pain/weakness/instability
  • Leg length discrepency
  • Step height- high stepping Ax with foot drop
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8
Q

6 phases of the gait cycle

A

1) Heel-strike: initial contact of the heel with the floor.
2) Foot flat: weight is transferred onto this leg.
3) Mid-stance: the weight is aligned and balanced on this leg.
4) Heel-off: the heel lifts off the floor as the foot rises but the toes remain in contact with the floor.
5) Toe-off: as the foot continues to rise the toes lift off the floor.
6) Swing: the foot swings forward and comes back into contact with the floor with a heel strike (and the gait cycle repeats).

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9
Q

What are you inspecting for with the patient lying on the bed?

A
Scars
Swelling
Bruising
Quadriceps wasting
Knee joint asymmetry
Fixed flexion deformity
Abnormal patellar position
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10
Q

Bed position for knee exam

A

45 deg headrest for inspection then supine for palpation

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11
Q

When palpating the patella, what pathologies do you look for?

A
  • tenderness- injury/arthritis
  • apprehension with mobilisation (laterally) suggests history of dislocation
  • tenderness on palpation of patellar ligament suggests rupture/inflammation
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12
Q

Tenderness on palpation of the medial and lateral joint lines of the knee suggests what 3 pathologies

A
  • Fracture
  • Meniscal injury (e.g. meniscal tear)
  • Collateral ligament injury (e.g. rupture)
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13
Q

Patellar apprehension test

A
  • patient knee fully extended
  • apply lateral pressure
  • simultaneously flex knee joint
  • active resistance from patient suggests patella instability + dislocation
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14
Q

Causes of knee joint effusion

A
  • ligament rupture (e.g. ACL)
  • septic arthritis
  • inflammatory arthritis
  • osteoarthritis
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15
Q

Tests for moderate-large knee joint effusion

A

Patellar tap

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16
Q

Explain the patella tap test

A

Screen for the presence of moderate-large effusions

1) With knee fully extended, empty the suprapatellar pouch by sliding your left hand down the thigh to the upper border of the patella.
2. Keep your left hand in position and use your right hand to press downwards on the patella with your fingertips.
3. If there is fluid present you will feel a distinct tap as the patella bumps against the femur.

17
Q

Test for small knee joint effusions

A

sweep test

18
Q

describe the sweep test

A
  1. Position the patient supine with knee extended.
  2. Empty the suprapatellar pouch by sliding your left hand down the thigh to the upper border of the patella.
  3. Stroke medial side of the knee joint to move any excess fluid across to the lateral side of the joint.
  4. Now stroke the lateral side of the knee joint which will cause any excess fluid to move back across to the emptied medial side of the knee joint.
    This causes the appearance of a bulge or ripple on the medial side of the joint indicating the presence of effusion.
19
Q

After palpation of the extended knee, what do you do?

A

repeat palpation:

  • patella
  • med/lat joint lines
  • patella tap
  • sweep test

but with the knee flexed at 90 deg

also:
- tibial tuberosity and head of fib

20
Q

Palpation of tibial fossa can show what pathologies?

A
  • popliteal (bakers) cyst = fluctuant swelling, tense on extension and soft on flexion
  • popliteal aneurysm = pulsatile mass
21
Q

Osgood-Schlatter disease

A

Inflammation of the patellar ligament at the tibial tuberosity (its insertion point)

22
Q

Osgood schlatter disease epidemiology

A

10-15yr old males

sports involving running and jumping

23
Q

Normal ROM for active knee flexion

A

0-140 degrees

24
Q

abnormal degree of hyperextension for the knee?

A

anything more than 10 deg

25
Tests for PCL rupture
Posterior sag sign | Posterior drawer test
26
Test for ACL integrity
Anterior drawer test 1. supine with knee flexed to 90deg 2. wrap hands around proximal tibia with fingers round back of knee 3. position thumbs over tibial tuberosity 4. pull tibia anteriorly and feel for anterior movement of the tibia on femur
27
Posterior sag sign
- flex knee at 90 deg with foot flat on bed - inspect lateral aspect of knee DO BEFORE ANTERIOR DRAWER as ruptured PCL can lead to false positive
28
Posterior drawer test
1. supine with knee flexed to 90deg 2. wrap hands around proximal tibia with fingers round back of knee 3. position thumbs over tibial tuberosity 4. pull tibia posteriorly and feel for posterior movement of the tibia on femur
29
origin and insertion of ACL
- origin is medial wall of the lateral femoral condyle | - inserts in anterior region of intercondylar area of tibia
30
Primary purpose of PCL
stabilise the knee joint by preventing posterior tibial subluxation (i.e. prevent posterior displacement of the tibia relative to the femur).
31
Primary purpose of ACL
Stabilise the knee joint by preventing anterior tibial subluxation (i.e. prevent anterior displacement of the tibia relative to the femur).
32
Causes of PCL/ACL injuries
ACL = one-legged pivot movement in opposite direction to landing PCL = hyperflexion of knee eg falling on flexed knee
33
varus vs valgus
34
tests for medial and lateral collateral ligaments
varus (lateral) and valgus (medial) stress test 1. Extend knee fully 2. Hold ankle against your side 3. Position your palm over the medial/lateral aspect of the knee. 4. Position other palm lower down over the opposite aspect of the lower limb, with your fingers reaching upwards to palpate the knee joint line. 5. Push steadily outward with your right palm whilst pushing inwards with the left palm. 6. Whilst performing this manoeuvre, palpate the medial/lateral knee joint line with the fingers of your left hand.
35
Medial/lateral meniscus test
McMurray’s test MEDIAL: varus stress by external rotation and abduction LATERAL: valgus stress by internal rotation and adduction
36
function of menisci
Stabilise the knee joint and distribute friction between the femur and tibia.
37
typical meniscus tear injury Sx
sudden-onset pain, a popping sensation, locking and instability of the knee joint. 2/2 sudden twisting