Knee Special Tests Flashcards
Anterior Drawer Test
o Testing for ACL
o Patient is lying supine and flexes knee and hip while tester sits on foot
o Tibia is pulled anteriorly in an explosive fashion
o Positive test is more than 6mm of drawer and a soft and mushy end feel
Lachman’s Test
o Knee at 20 degrees of flexion
o One hand is used as counterbalance on the femur while the other pulls tibia anteriorly
o Positive test is higher laxity when compared bilaterally
o Testing ACL
Lelli Test
o Patient is lying supine and a fist is placed under calf
o Pressure is placed downward on femur
o Positive test is no foot movement
o Testing ACL
Posterior Sag Test
o Testing PCL
o Patient lying supine
o Both knees are flexed and compared for posterior sag
Posterior Drawer Test
o Patient is lying supine with flexed knee
o Both hands grasp the proximal end of the tibia and pressure is placed posteriorly
o Positive test is more than 5mm of posterior movement
o Testing PCL
Knee Valgus Stress Test
o Testing MCL
o Patient in supine while one hand grabs the ankle while the other grasps femur
o Externally rotate tibia and perform passive abduction
o Looking for gapping and pain on the medial side
Knee Varus Stress Test
o Testing LCL
o Patient lying supine while one hand grabs the ankle and the other stabilizes the femur
o Internally rotate the lower leg while performing passive adduction
Patella Mobility
o Patient lying supine while patella is shifted medially/laterally and inferior/superior directions
McMurray Test
o Testing for meniscal damage
o Patient lying supine with test knee fully flexed
o Tibia rotated medially to test posterior lateral meniscus
o Laterally rotate tibia to test medial meniscus
o Positive test is clicking, locking or pain
Thessaly Test
o Testing meniscus legions
o Patient is standing with a flexed knee and rotates three times
o Positive test is pain or clicking
Obers Test
o Testing IT band tightness
o Patient in side lying position with lower leg in flexion at hip for stability
o One hand fixates the hip while the other hand lowers the leg
o Positive test is the leg not touching the table
