Knee Examination/Testing Flashcards
What is a likely knee injury if a patient complains of traumatic injury with a posteriorly directed force to the tibia with the knee flexed?
-PCL injury (posterior cruciate)
Likely knee injury if a patient reports traumatic injury with varus or valgus force exerted on the knee?
-collateral ligament injury (LCL or MCL)
Possible injuries that could occur at the knee if the patient reports a traumatic onset of knee pain that occurred while jumping, twisting or changing directions with the foot planted?
- ligamentous injury (ACL)
- patella subluxation
- quadriceps rupture
- meniscal tear
Injuries at the knee that could occur if a patient reports anterior knee pain with jumping & full knee flexion?
- patellar tendonitis
- patellofemoral pain syndrome
A patient reports swelling in the knee with occasional locking & clicking. What are possible injuries that could have occurred at the knee joint?
- meniscal tear
- loose body within the knee joint
What is a possibly hypothesis for a knee injury if a patient reports pain with prolonged knee flexion, during squats & while going up & down stairs?
-patellofemoral pain syndrome
What is the likely hypothesis of injury if a patient reports pain & stiffness in the morning that diminishes after a few hours?
-OA
Ottawa Knee Rule for Radiography
- highly sensitive for knee fractures in adults & children
- if acute injury, if 1 out of the 5 variables are present, radiographs are required:
1. age >/= 55 yrs
2. isolated patellar tenderness w/o other bone tenderness
3. tenderness of fibular head
4. inability to flex knee to 90
5. inability to bear weight immediately after injury & in the ED
Tibiofemoral angle
-angle between anatomical axis of femur & mechanical axis of the tibia
Genu valgum
- “knock knees”
- angle less than 165
Genu varum
- “bow legs”
- angle approaches or exceeds 180
Q-angle
-Patient standing with knee extended. Stationary arm of goniometer is aligned with ASIS, moving arm is aligned with tibial tuberosity, axis at midpoint of patella
What can a large Q-angle predispose someone to?
-patellar subluxation
Tibial Torsion
- pt sitting with knee flexed to 90. Place thumb over prominence of one malleolus & index finger of same hand over prominence of other malleolus. Looking down over end of distal thigh, visualize axes of the knee and of the ankle. Lines should form 12-18 degree angle due to lateral tibial rotation.
- increased tibial torsion increases Q-angle
Patella Alta
-positive if patellar tendon is longer by 15-20% or more of patellar height
Patella Baja
-positive if patellar tendon is shorter by 15-20% or more of the patellar height
If rapid edema (within 1 hour) occurs what injuries should you consider?
- patellar dislocation
- osteochondral fractures
- ACL tears
If there is intermediate edema (6-12 hours) present, what injuries should you consider?
- capsular tears
- peripheral meniscus tears
- ACL tears
Localized edema in the knee
-usually found in the prepatellar, infrapatellar, pes anserine, and/or popliteal fossa
Subpatellar edema
-with pt supine or long sitting & leg straight, look for a posterior tilt of the inferior patellar pole (tipping of the inferior patella into the tibia). This can irritate the fat pad
Ballottement Test statistics and is used as a tool to determine what?
- tool for knee joint effusion
- Sensitivity: .83
- Specificity: .49
Ballottement Test protocol
- pt. supine. Grasp pt’s thigh at the anterior aspect about 10 cm above patella. With the other hand, grasp pt’s lower leg about 5 cm distal to patella. Proximal hand exerts compression against anterior, lateral, & medial aspects of thigh & slides distally. Distal hand exerts compression in a similar way & slides proximally. Examiner quickly pushes the pt’s patella posteriorly toward femur with 2 or 3 fingers then lets up
- positive: patella bounces off trochlea (rises again) with a distinct impact
“Milking” Test
-move/”milk” fluid to inferior from supra patellar area, then to medial area from lateral joint line - thus all fluid is inferior & medial. By gently tapping medial area, fluid will float back to lateral side of joint
Palpation of medial meniscus
-palpable on medial rotation of tibia, disappears on lateral rotation
Palpation of lateral meniscus
-palpable with knee in slight flexion, disappears with full extension
Joint Line Tenderness is a diagnostic tool for what? What are the statistics of this test?
- diagnostic tool for meniscal tear
- Sensitivity: .76
- Specificity: .77
Protocol for Joint Line Tenderness Examination
- palpable joint line with patient’s knee flexed to 90
- positive: reproduces pain