Knee Special Tests Flashcards
Anterior Drawer Test
-not a great test for an ACL tear
-have patient supine, put the knee into flexion (70-90 degrees) sit on their foot to stabilize it, get them to relax their hamstrings, put your thumb in the tibial plateaus and pull forward
-Positive test: laxity
External Recurvatum Test
-ACL test
-picking their whole leg up by the big toe, it will feel looser (some stabilize the knee and see how much the heel comes up
-looking for a weight difference, is the affected side heavier/weaker?
-positive test: other side doesn’t feel as stable/heavy, laxity, can see the knee going into hyperextension
Slocum’s test
-acl test, not great
-for an ALRI or AMRI
-ALRI-anterior lateral rotary instability - torn acl and damaged lateral capsule
-AMRI-anterior medial rotary instability - torn acl and damaged medial capsule
-patient is lying supine, internally rate the tibia and sit on the foot, then you pull forward– testing acl and anterior lateral capsule
-externally rotate the tibia and sit on the foot, then you pull forward-you are testing the acl and anterior medial capsule
posterior drawer test
-tests the PCL
-patient lying supine, knee is in 70-90 degrees of flexion and push back on knee
-positive test: laxity
Dial Test
testing PCL
-patient lying prone, takes both feet and flex knee to about 30 degrees and then externally rotate the tibias; checking to see if one side externally rotates more than another; at 30 degrees it is indicative of posterolateral corner instability– if at 90 it is indicative of posterior lateral instability and PCL
Godfrey’s test
-testing pcl
-patient is lying supine, passively put their knees and hips in 90 degrees of flexion, hold the legs so that they are relaxed, go to the side and look at their tibia tubercles and /or patella tendons, does one sit more posterior than the other
-positive test- tibia tubercles and/or patellar tendons are sunken in or injured side
McMurray’s Test
-for meniscus/cartilage injury
-patient lying supine, flexion of knee, tibia externally rotated and place a valves force-go into extension- testing medial meniscus tear, knee fully flexed and tibia internally rotated-place a virus force on the knee, go into extension- testing lateral meniscus tear (all in one motion)
-positive test: pain, popping, snapping, etc in the joint space- where the cartilage sits
Apley’s Test
-for meniscus
patient is lying prone
-distraction test- patient lying prone, knee is in 90 degrees of flexion with your leg on their thigh to stabilize, pull leg up, should have pain relief if there is damage
-compression test- patient lying prone, knee in 90 degrees of flexion with your leg on their thigh to stabilize, press down, rotate the tibia medially and laterally– pain in joint space
Thessaly’s test
- cartilage/meniscus test
-having patient stand on one leg and have them hold onto something, they flex their knee about 5 degrees and twist 3 times each side
-go to 30 degrees and do the same
-positive test: pain in joint space, instability, giving way
patella apprehension test
-not exclusive to the patella
- tests for malt racking subliming patella
-patient is lying supine or sitting and relaxed, pushing the kneecap laterally and looking to see if it bothers them
-looking for pain or concern about the test
Nobel’s test
-IT band friction syndrome
-have patient supine, put your finger on the lateral femoral condyle, then flex and extend the knee passively, do they have pain where your finger is?
-realistically at 30 degrees there would be pain
Renee’s Test
-IT band friction syndrome
-put thumb over the lateral femoral condyle, but have them actively squat up and down and looking for pain there
-realistically at 30 degrees there would be pain
Homan’s Test
-for DVT (deep vein thrombosis)- a blood clot would see this post ACL surgery
-would have a lot of swelling at foot and ankle
-would have a ton of pain in the calf
-person is supine or seated, leg is straight, passively dorsiflex the ankle and squeeze into the calf
-positive- excessive pain
