LE Special Tests Flashcards
FABER
Other name: Patrick’s test
Purpose: hip dysfunction
Test: supine, hip flexion, abd, ER, lower leg down test leg
+ pain, test knee remains above opposite straight leg once extended
Scour test
Other name: Grind test
Purpose: DJD of hip joint
Test: supine, flexion, adduction of hip, grind labrum
+ pain
Trendelenburg sign
Purpose: weak gluteus medius
Test: stand SLS
+ pelvis of non-stance limb drops (should normally rise)
Thomas test
Purpose: hip flexor tightness
Test: supine, passive flexion of one hip, knee to chest
+ straight leg rises off the table and stretch is felt
Ober’s test
Purpose: tightness in TFL/IT band
Test: SL, lower leg flexed for stability, passive abduction and extension of upper limb, slowly lower limb
+ leg remains abducted
Ely’s test
Purpose: rectus femoris tightness
Test: prone, passive knee flexion
+ hip on ipsi side flexes
90-90 hamstring test
Purpose: hamstring tightness
Test: supine, 90 deg hip flexion, knees bent, actively extend each knee
+ knee is unable to reach 10 deg from neutral
Tripod sign
Purpose: hamstring tightness
Test: seated, both knees at 90 deg flexion over edge of table, passive knee extension
+ spine extension
Piriformis test
Purpose: piriformis syndrome
Test: SL, 60 deg hip flexion, knee flexion, stabilizes hip and applies downward pressure to upper knee
+ pain
Leg length
Measures from ASIS to medial or lateral malleolus
Normal: 1-1.3 cm
Craig’s test
Purpose: abnormal femoral anteversion
Test: prone, knees flexed to 90, palpates posterior greater troch, hip is passively rotated ER/IR until greater troch is parallel with table
Can estimate degree of anteversion
LCL and MCL instability tests
Purpose: identify ligamentous laxity in collaterals
Test: supine, 20-30 deg knee flexion, varus and valgus forces applied
+ laxity, pain
Lachmann’s
Purpose: ACL integrity
Test: supine, 30 deg knee flexion, femur stabilized, tibia is translated AP
+ mushy or soft end feel, increased tibial translation
Pivot shift test
Purpose: ACL integrity
Reduction - supine, stabilize lower leg, flex knee to 90, IR tibia (subluxing lateral tibial plateau)
Subluxation - knee flexed, IR tibia and provide valgus stress, slowly extend knee
Posterior sag test
Purpose: PCL integrity
Slocum test
Purpose: anteriomedial and anterolateral rotary instability
Test: 90 deg knee flexion, 45 deg hip flexion, 30 deg IR, draw tibia forward (anterior drawer) - same is done with ER
Posterior drawer test
Purpose: PCL integrity
Reverse lachman
Purpose: PCL integrity
Lachmann’s for PCL
McMurray’s test
Purpose: meniscal tear
Apley test
Purpose: differentiate meniscal tear vs ligamentous lesion
Test: prone, 90 deg knee flexion, ER/IR, adding distraction or compression
+ rotation + distraction pain - ligamentous lesion
rotation + compression pain - meniscus injury
Bounce home test
Purpose: meniscal lesion
Test: supine, heel is cupped, full knee flexion, knee is allowed to passively extend
+ incomplete extension or rubbery end feel
Thessaly test
Purpose: meniscal lesion
Standing ER/IR
Hughston’s plica test
Purpose: plica dysfunction
Test: supine, knee flexed, IR of tibia, pressing patella medially, palpating medial condyle
+ popping of plica band
Patellar apprehension test
Purpose: patella dysfunction
Clarke’s sign
Purpose: patellofemoral dysfunction
Test: press down proximal to base of patella with knee extended, pt contracts quad muscles
+ retropatellar pain or inability to hold contraction
Patella tap test
Purpose: infrapatellar effusion
+ floating patella
Fluctuation test
Purpose: knee joint effusion
+ feeling of synovial fluid fluctuation under the hands
Q angle measurement
ASIS - mid patella
tibial tubercle - mid patella
Angle between the two
Normal: 13 M, 18 F
Noble compression test
Purpose: distal IT band friction syndrome
+ pain over lateral femoral condyle with pressure
Tinel’s sign (of common fibular n)
Purpose: dysfunction of common fibular n posterior to fibular head
+ tingling or paresthesia in leg
Neutral subtalar positioning
Purpose: identify rearfoot to forefoot positioning
Prone
Anterior drawer test (ankle)
Purpose: ATFL ligament instability
Talar tilt test
Purpose: CFL ligament instability
ER stress test (ankle)
Purpose: syndesmosis injury and deltoid ligament tear
Squeeze test
Purpose: syndesmosis injury
Thompson’s test
Purpose: achilles tendon integrity
+ absence of PF with squeeze of muscle belly
Tinel’s sign (of ankle)
Purpose: dysfunction of posterior tibial n
Morton’s test
Purpose: stress fracture or neuroma in forefoot
+ pain
