Knee Special Tests Flashcards
How to perform
Anterior drawer
Pt supine, Flex knee to
- place hands in starting reference position
- You know from the previous test if the tibia has not sagged back,
- Keeping elbows straight, pull body straight forward (just rock body), feel for hamstring guarding
- If it subluxates toward you, you know it’s a PCL tear
implications
Passive Tracking
Noncontractile tissue, patellar groove
indications
Medial/Lateral patellar glides
all patients
How to perform
Flexion Rotation Drawer (FRD)
pt in supine, knee flexed 0-60 degrees * Hug ankle under arm and grab proximal tibia with both hands - Good test because 2 planar and doesn’t hurt them * Valgus and compressive force-trying to take patella to contralateral ASIS - Go fly fishing - Normal knee will see nice smooth motion - Abnormal knee gives wiggle/wabble - Like pivot shift but less aggressive, positive test is subluxation of femur on fixed tibia
response
Anterior drawer
If tibia subluxates forwards, you know it’s an ACL tear
How to perform
Recurvatum
Pt. supine, stabilized the distal femur with one hand, grab ankle with other hand Pull up on ankle, trying to hyperextend knee 3 times 10 degrees is normal amount of recurvatum
indications
Apley’s Compression and Dynamic Compression (DDV)
- *History of macrotrauma 2. *Twisting MOI 3. *Delayed effusion (over 12 hours) 4. *Reproducible click/clunk 5. *Pseudo locking 6. *Joint line pain
What test is for meniscus and PCL?
Recurvatum (Laxity -> PCL/posterior capsule; palpate over joint [prob reprod of symptoms] -> anterior horns of meniscus).
How to perform
Recurvatum for Meniscus
Pt. supine, stabilized the distal femur with one hand and PALPATE JOINT, grab ankle with other hand Pull up on ankle, trying to hyperextend knee-3 times 10 degrees is normal amount of recurvatum Same as PCL recurvatum test except palpate joint line
implications
PMRI
Post 1/3 med. Cap., PMOL (some say this can’t happen with PCL intact) PCL must be intact to perform the test
response
Recurvatum
10_ is normal amount of recurvatum
response
Active Tracking OKC
Patella should move through a C (right) or reverse C shape (left). Not good if it goes laterally at top especilly
test category
Medial/Lateral patellar glides
Patello-Femoral
response
Lachman’s Test
Positive test is > 3mm translation and an empty end feel or lack of capsular end feel o Normally you feel a clunk where the ACL stops the tibia from moving
test category
fluid wave test
Effusion (intra-articular swelling)
response
Flexion Rotation Drawer (FRD)
Normal knee will see nice smooth motion - Abnormal knee gives wiggle/wabble - Like pivot shift but less aggressive - positive Test is subluxation of femur on fixed tibia
How to perform
Moving Patellar Apprehension test.
Two parts (first part must be + to move to part 2): pt supine, leg off table. 1) Use thumb to Manually glide patella laterally with knee Extended and passivly Flex to 90 degrees with Patella. Check for pt apprehension and pain. + Test: oral apprehension or quad apprehensive activation 2) Repeat with medial glide. + is No apprehension allowin full ROM
How to perform
ALRI
pt supine: knee flexed < 90 degrees (80-70 good) Same as Anterior drawer, except tibia is IR
indications
Medial/Lateral tilts
all patients
test category
Recurvatum
PCL
How to perform
Pivot shift
pt supine, knee 0-80 degrees * Grab under heel and flex hip * Thumb under fibular head, fingers to ceiling, palm on lateral joint line - 2 planar instability: tibia moves anteriorly and internally rotates * give valgus force and flex knee in one quick motion - move to about 60 degrees knee flexion * keep foot neutral
How to perform
Jerk test
pt supine, knee flexed 80-0 degrees pt supine, opposite of pivot shift - from knee flexion of about 60 degrees, after performing pivot shift, return leg to table with same valgus force: * Thumb under fibular head, fingers to ceiling, palm on lateral joint line * give valgus force and extemd knee in one quick motion, from about 60 degrees knee flexion * keep foot neutral
How to perform
Apley’s Distraciton test and Apleys Dynamic Distraction Test (DDV)
* Pt prone, knee flexed 90 degrees * Both hands proximal to malleoli, counterforce with your knee on top of their thigh * Distract and externally rotate to tighten MCL ligaments (internally rotate to tighten LCL) Apley’s Dynamic Distraction - repeat test as above but take through ROM to extension and back three times each in ER and IR
test category
Sag Test
PCL
indications
Anterior drawer
- History of macrotrauma including twisting, deceleration MOI * 80% or more of ACL injuries are non-contact 2. Giving way-could be effusion creating an arthrogenic inhibition that doesn’t let quads fire normally * Not always due to a ligament instability issue * Can also be related to arthritis 3. Hear a ‘pop’ during MOI 4. Intra articular effusion * ACL supplied by ganicular artery so if you tear it mid-substance it bleeds like mad and get effusion within 24 hours-hemarthrosis
test category
McMurray’s Test
Meniscus
test category
Valgus stress
Collateral Ligaments
indications
Dynamic McMurray’s Test
- *History of macrotrauma 2. *Twisting MOI 3. *Delayed effusion (over 12 hours) 4. *Reproducible click/clunk 5. *Pseudo locking 6. *Joint line pain
indications
Pivot shift
- History of macrotrauma including twisting, deceleration MOI * 80% or more of ACL injuries are non-contact 2. Giving way-could be effusion creating an arthrogenic inhibition that doesn’t let quads fire normally * Not always due to a ligament instability issue * Can also be related to arthritis 3. Hear a ‘pop’ during MOI 4. Intra articular effusion * ACL supplied by ganicular artery so if you tear it mid-substance it bleeds like mad and get effusion within 24 hours-hemarthrosis
implications
Apley’s Compression and Dynamic Compression (DDV)
Compression without dynamic component: Meniscus-post. horns Dynamic Compression: Meniscus-entire
indications
PLRI
(PCL must be intact to perform the test) 1. History of macrotrauma including twisting, deceleration MOI * 80% or more of ACL injuries are non-contact 2. Giving way-could be effusion creating an arthrogenic inhibition that doesn’t let quads fire normally * Not always due to a ligament instability issue * Can also be related to arthritis 3. Hear a ‘pop’ during MOI 4. Intra articular effusion * ACL supplied by ganicular artery so if you tear it mid-substance it bleeds like mad and get effusion within 24 hours-hemarthrosis
test category
Posterior Drawer
PCL
implications
Clancy step-up test
PCL
indications
PMRI
(PCL must be intact to perform the test) 1. History of macrotrauma including twisting, deceleration MOI * 80% or more of ACL injuries are non-contact 2. Giving way-could be effusion creating an arthrogenic inhibition that doesn’t let quads fire normally * Not always due to a ligament instability issue * Can also be related to arthritis 3. Hear a ‘pop’ during MOI 4. Intra articular effusion * ACL supplied by ganicular artery so if you tear it mid-substance it bleeds like mad and get effusion within 24 hours-hemarthrosis
How to perform
AMRI
pt supine: knee flexed < 90 degrees (80-70 good) Same as Anterior drawer, except tibia is ER
How to perform
Lachman’s Test
pt supine, knee flexed 30 degrees * Elbows on iliac crests-2 clamps (I thought it was 1 elbow) - Proximal clamp on distal femur stays still - Distal clamp on proximal tibia moves it anteriorly - Positive test is > 3mm translation and an empty end feel or lack of capsular end feel o Normally you feel a clunk where the ACL stops the tibia from moving
test category
Apley’s Compression and Dynamic Compression (DDV)
Meniscus
test category
Milking test
Effusion (intra-articular swelling)
implications
Milking test
Intra articular effusion
implications
Recurvatum for Meniscus
Meniscus-ant. Horns (much less common than posterior horns, but you don’t want to miss it)
implications
AMRI
Mid 1/3 med. Cap.
implications
Moving Patellar Apprehension test.
Noncontractile tissue, patellar groove patellar dislocation or instability
test category
Moving Patellar Apprehension test.
Patello-Femoral
indications
Clancy step-up test
- *History of macrotrauma 2. *Hyperextension injury 3. *Fall on anterior tibia with ankle in plantarflexion 4. *Intra articular effusion 5. *Suspected ACL
How to perform
Medial/Lateral tilts
pt supine, knee at 0 degrees (take out the pillow!!). Glide patella slightly in the direction it is to be tilted in order to get fingers under the edge. Try to tilt the patella. Tilt is referenced to the direction the tip of the patella leans toward
implications
Varus stress
0 degrees is LCL,ACL,PCL, PLC (posterior lateral corner-arcuate ligament complex, devistating injury) 30 degrees is just LCL (0 degrees-55%) (30 degrees-69%)
implications
Jerk test
ACL, middle 1/3 of lateral capsule
test category
Flexion Rotation Drawer (FRD)
ACL
response
Apley’s Distraciton test and Apleys Dynamic Distraction Test (DDV)
Reproduction of Symptoms? MCL (+ with Internal rotation) LCL (+ with external rotation)
implications
fluid wave test
Intra articular effusion
implications
Active Tracking CKC
Contractile and non-contractile tissue. if there is chondral damage, you want to avoid that area in rehab by doing short arc exercises. 3rd squat: checking peri-patellar soft tissue for Hoffa’s syndrome, Tendinitis -osis, Retinacular neuroma (hard nodules), Plica syndrome (snapping), poplitial tendonitis, ITB syndrome.
test category
Ballotment Test
Effusion (intra-articular swelling)
indications
Dial Test
- History of macrotrauma including twisting, deceleration MOI * 80% or more of ACL injuries are non-contact 2. Giving way-could be effusion creating an arthrogenic inhibition that doesn’t let quads fire normally * Not always due to a ligament instability issue * Can also be related to arthritis 3. Hear a ‘pop’ during MOI 4. Intra articular effusion * ACL supplied by ganicular artery so if you tear it mid-substance it bleeds like mad and get effusion within 24 hours-hemarthrosis
response
Medial/Lateral patellar glides
Normal is moving two quadrants, more is hypermobile, less is hypomobile.
indications
Cephalic/Caudal glides
all patients
Effusion Tests (3)
- Milking
- Fluid Wave
- Ballotment
test category
Cephalic/Caudal glides
Patello-Femoral
test category
Active Tracking CKC
Patello-Femoral
what is an ACL “coper”? How do you know? And what does it mean for them in rehab?
* If pt can prevent you from doing pivot shift (meaning they can control their knee motion) it can mean they have good neuro-motor control and are a coper: they can do low level activities w/o surgical reconstruction * If pt prevents you from doing it and they cant control it, they are a non-coper and won’t do well with nonsurgical rehab
response
Apley’s Compression and Dynamic Compression (DDV)
* Looking for replication of joint line pain, maybe some snapping, cracking, clicking, clunking, pseudocatching, locking
response
Dynamic McMurray’s Test
Davies original article states it doesn’t matter what way you rotate the tibia because you are affecting both sides of the joint so just look for symptom replication, clicking/clunking, psudocatching/locking
response
Passive Tracking
Patella should move through a C (right) or reverse C shape (left). Not good if it goes laterally at top especilly
response
McMurray’s Test
reproduction of symptoms: clicking/clunking, psudocatching/locking
ACL tests (6 general)
- Anterior Drawer
- Rotary Instabilities
- ALRI
- PLRI
- AMRI
- PMRI
- Dial??
- Lachman’s
- Pivot Shift
- Jerk
- Flexion Rotation Drawer (FRD)
test category
Apley’s Distraciton test and Apleys Dynamic Distraction Test (DDV)
Collateral Ligaments
test category
Jerk test
ACL
test category
Active Tracking OKC
Patello-Femoral
indications (critical pathways)
Milking test
History of macro trauma, patient complains of stiffness, observation of swelling, increased anthropometric measurements
response
Pivot shift
reproduction of symptoms (this one is painful and scary because it reproduces MOI). Try not to do it unless necessary. Clunking (as knee subluxates)
implications
Recurvatum
PCL/Posterior capsule
test category
Steinman’s test
Meniscus