MSK Assessment Techniques

Question 1

Apley Scratch Test

Answer 1

patient touches the opposite scapula

Question 2

Painful Arc

Answer 2

patient full adducts arm from 0 to 90

Question 3

crossover exam

Answer 3

patient adducts the arm across the chest

Question 4

Neer impingement

Answer 4

you press on the scapula while you raise the patient’s arm, causing compression of the greater tubersosity of the humerus against the acromion

Question 5

Hawkins impingement

Answer 5

Flex patient’s shoulder and elbow at 90 with palm facing downward.
place one hand on the arm and rotate it internally

Question 6

External rotation lag test

Answer 6

flex patient’s arm in 90 with palm up, rotate the arm into full external rotation

Question 7

Drop arm test

Answer 7

ask the patient to fully abduct the arm to shoulder level, up to 90 and lower it slowly

Question 8

Empty can test

Answer 8

elevate the arm to 90 and internally rotate the arms with the thumbs pointing down against resistance

Question 9

Finkelstein test

Answer 9

ask the patient to grasp the thumb against the palm and then move the wrist toward midline in ulnar deviation

pain = de Quervain tenosynovitis

Question 10

Tinel sign

Answer 10

tap lightly over the course of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel

Question 11

Phalen sign

Answer 11

ask the patient to hold wrists in flexion at 90 with the elbows fully extended

or

press the backs of both hands together to form right angles

Question 12

Adams test

Answer 12

ask the patient to bend forward to touch toes as you assess spinal curvature

this is the forward bend test

Question 13

McMurray test

Answer 13

with the patient supine, grasp the heel and flex the knee. cup your other hand over the knee. from the heel, externally rotate the lower leg then push on the lateral side to apply valgus stress to the medial side of the join

click, pop, pain = tear of medial meniscus

Question 14

Valgus stress test

Answer 14

with the patient supine, move the thigh about 30 laterally to the side of the table. place one hand against the lateral knee and the other around the medial ankle. push medially against the knee and pull laterally at the ankle

pain = MCL injury

Question 15

Varus stress test

Answer 15

with the patient supine, move the thigh about 30 laterally to the side of the table. place one hand against the medial knee and the other around the lateral ankle. push laterally against the knee and pull medially at the ankle

pain = LCL injury

Question 16

Anterior drawer test

Answer 16

with the patient supine, hip and knees flexed to 90 and feet flat on the table, cup your hands around the knee with the thumbs on the medial and lateral joint line and fingers on the medial and lateral insertions of the hamstrings.

DRAW THE TIBIA FORWARD and observe if it slides forward from under the femur

forward jerk = ACL tear

Question 17

Lachman test

Answer 17

place the knee in at 15 of flexion and externally rotate. grasp the distal femur on the lateral side with one hand and the proximal tibia on the medial side with the other.
simultaneously pull the tibia forward and the femur back - pulling the tibia anteriorly relative to the femur

significant forward excursion = ACL tear

Question 18

Posterior draw test

Answer 18

with the patient supine, hips and knees flexed to 90 and feet flat on the table, cup your hands around the knee with the thumbs on the medial and lateral joint line and fingers on the medial and lateral insertions of the hamstrings.

PUSH THE TIBIA POSTERIORLY and observe the degree of backward movement in the femur

if the proximal tibia falls back = PCL injury