LE Special Tests Flashcards
Scour Test
technique: Patient in supine with the hip flexed and adducted. Hip is taken into abduction while maintaining hip flexion. Compressive load is added whilst completing this.
positive test is reproduction of familiar pain or apprehension.
What is it used to diagnose: general hip pathology and DJD
patrick FABER Test
technique: hip is flexed with combined abduction and external rotation. foot should be resting on the contralateral leg when in the finished position.
positive if the knee is unable to relax in this position or if pain is reproduced.
What is it used to diagnose: identifies a mobility restriction at the hip
FADDIR
technique: flexion adduction and internal rotation
Positive test if there is reproduction of symptoms with our without a click or noise.
What is it used to diagnose: anterior superior impingement, illiopsoas tendinopathy, and anterior labral tears.
Thomas test
technique: in supine - one knee and hip maximally flexed to the chest and the other leg is straight on the table.
positive test if the hip on the table is risen off of the table
What is it used to diagnose: tightness in hip flexors
OBER test
technique: patient is in sidelying with the lower limb flexed at the hip and knee. Take the top leg and passively extend with the knee at 90 degrees of flexion and lower the limb toward the table
positive test if the leg remains above the horizontal.
What is it used to diagnose: tight ITB/TFL
Ely test
technique:patient in prone - flex the knee passively.
positive test if hip of tested limb flexes.
What is it used to diagnose: tight rectus femoris
90/90 hamstring test
technique: Supine hip and knee supported in 90 degrees of flexion. passively extend the knee until tightness is encountered. positive test if the knee lacks 10 degrees or greater of knee extension
What is it used to diagnose: tightness of hamstring.
piriformis test***
technique: patient in supine - foot of tested limb is passively placed lateral to opposite limbs knee with the tested hip adducted
What is it used to diagnose: piriformis tightness and syndrome.
trendelenburg sign
technique:patient in standing and asked to stand on one leg - shown inability or unsteadiness.
What is it used to diagnose: weakness of glut med and unstable hip
leg length
technique: measurement of ASIS to lateral malleolus - patient in supine
What is it used to diagnose: true leg length discrepancy
functional vs true leg length discrepancy
true - caused by an anatomical difference in bone lengths
functional - not anatomical - result of compensation due to abnormal positioning or posture such as ankle pronation or inominate rotation.
leg length
technique: measurement of ASIS to lateral malleolus - patient in supine
What is it used to diagnose: true leg length discrepancy
functional vs true leg length discrepancy
true - caused by an anatomical difference in bone lengths
functional - not anatomical - result of compensation due to abnormal positioning or posture such as ankle pronation or inominate rotation.
patellar pubic percussion test
technique: with the patient in supine the examiner percusses teach patella seperately while auscultating the pubic symphysis with a stethoscope -
positive test if decreased percussion note on the affected side.
What is it used to diagnose: hip fracture
lachman test
technique:patient is in supine with the knee flexed 20 to 30 degrees. pressure on the femur while pulling up on the tibia.
positive if there is excessive movement compared to the contralateral side.
What is it used to diagnose: 1 plan anterior instability (ACL)
anterior drawer test
technique: Patient is in supine with the hip flexed to 45 and knee to 90. PT pulls from the posterior proximal tibia anteriorly. Positive is marked laxity compared to the contralateral side.
What is it used to diagnose: ACL tear and 1 plane anterior instability.
posterior drawer
technique: Patient is in the same position as the anterior drawer - 45 degrees flexion of the hip and 90 degrees flexion of the knee. posterior pressure put to stress the PCL
What is it used to diagnose: PCL and posterior single plan instability.
posterior sag sign
technique: same position as posterior drawer but you just see if the tibia sags posterior
What is it used to diagnose:
valgus stress test
technique: Patient is in supine with the knee resting on the edge of the exam table - a valgus stress is applied at 0 and 30 degrees of knee flexion -
positive test is pain or increased motion -
positive finding at 0 degrees of extension indicates major disruption of the knee with one or more rotatory tests also positive
What is it used to diagnose: medial instability/ MCL
Varus stress test
technique:Patient is in supine with the knee resting on the edge of the exam table - a varus stress is applied at 0 and 30 degrees of knee flexion
positive test is pain or laxity in the joint
positive finding at 0 degrees of extension indicates a major disruption of the knee with one or more rotatory tests also positive.
What is it used to diagnose: lateral instability/ LCL
pivot shift test
technique: patient is in supine with the knee in extension, hip flexed/abducted to 30 degrees with slight internal rotation
holding the knee with one hand, and foot with the other hand place a valgus force through the knee and flex the knee.
What is it used to diagnose: anterolateral instability +ACL
McMurray Test
technique: Patient is in supine with the knee in maximal flexion.
This can be used to test the medial or the lateral meniscus
example - lateral meniscus - passively internally rotate and extend the knee.
positive test if there is a pop or click or pain in the joint
What is it used to diagnose: medial or lateral meniscus tear
thessaly test
technique: patient standing on the symptomatic leg holding the examiners hands (like dancing)
patient rotates the body and leg internally and externally with the knee flexed to 5 degrees and then 20 degrees
positive test if there is popping/clicking and pain.
What is it used to diagnose: meniscus tear
Patellar apprehension test
technique: Patient in supine with the knee flexed to 30 degrees and quadriceps relaxed - passively move the patella laterally - positive test if the patient expresses apprehension or contracts the quadriceps to prevent patella from dislocation.
What is it used to diagnose: patellofemoral instability.
patellar tilt test
technique: patient is in supine with the knee extended - lift the lateral edge of the patella from the lateral femoral condyle - positive test if the patient expresses apprehension or contracts the quadriceps to prevent patella from dislocation
What is it used to diagnose: patellofemoral instability.
Nobel compression test
technique: Patient in supine with the knee flexed to 90 degrees with hip flexion.
pressure is aplied 1 to 2 cm proximal to laterl fremoral epicondyle - with pressure maintained - patients knee is passively extended
positive if the patient is experiencing pain in the lateral femoral condyle.
What is it used to diagnose: IT band friction syndrome
