Ortho Tests

Question 1

Cervical compression test

Answer 1

Positive Test = increased radicular pain and/or altered sensation in a dermatomal distribution (testing for increased pressure on nerve roots)
Local neck pain is NOT a positive test (testing for local strain/joint damage/facet irritation)

Question 2

Jackson’s compression test

Answer 2

Positive test = increased peripheral pain and/or altered sensation (testing for increased pressure on nerve roots)

Question 3

Cervical distraction test

Answer 3

Positive test = increased local pain (testing for muscles/ligaments/capsules)
Positive test = decreased radicular pain (testing for increased pressure on nerve roots)
Positive test = decreased local pain (testing for facet irritation/DJD)

Question 4

Slump test

Answer 4

Positive test = reproduction of symptoms e.g. shooting or electrical pain down leg (increasing pressure on nerve root)
Adding trunk rotation tests intercostal nerves

Question 5

Kemps test

Answer 5

Positive test = localised pain (testing for acute inflammatory lesions, local strain, facet irritation and spinal fracture)

Question 6

Distraction test

Answer 6

Positive test = decreased pain due to pressure on nerve root being relieved

Increased pain may be caused by muscle spasm/ligament sprain/muscle strain/disc herniation

Question 7

Kemps test

Answer 7

Positive test = localised pain (testing for acute inflammatory lesions, local strain, facet irritation and spinal fracture)
Positive test = increased peripheral pain or numbness (testing for increased pressure on nerve root)

Question 8

Slump test

Answer 8

Positive test = reproduction of symptoms e.g. shooting or electrical pain down leg (increasing pressure on nerve root)
Positive test = local lumbrosacral pain (testing for acute inflammatory lesions, local sprain, facet irritation, spinal fractures)

Question 9

Straight leg raise

Answer 9

Positive test = radicular leg pain e.g. shooting or electrical leg pain (testing for increased pressure on the nerve root)
Positive test = localised lower back pain (testing for piriformis entrapment, SI/lumbar sprain/strain

Question 10

Femoral nerve traction test

Answer 10

Positive test = pain radiating to anterior thigh e.g. shooting or electrical thigh pain (testing for femoral nerve or root compression (L2-4))

Question 11

SI marching test (Gillette/Step test)

Answer 11

Positive test = localised pain, excessive motion and decreased ROM (testing for hyper mobility/joint dysfunction/Ipsilateral SIJ dysfunction)

Question 12

Flamingo test

Answer 12

Positive test = pain in the pubic symphysis or SIJ (localised pain) (testing for Ipsilateral SIJ dysfunction)

Question 13

Gaenslen’s test

Answer 13

Positive test = sacroiliac or anterior thigh pain (only when there’s SIJ sprain or instability)
Positive test = elevation of extended hip (only when there’s iliopsoas contracture)
Positive test = no SIJ pain (only when there’s lumbar or hip pain origin)

Question 14

Thigh thrust test

Answer 14

Positive test = pain in the SIJ or hip (testing for SIJ and hip pathology)

Question 15

SIJ compression test

Answer 15

Positive test = posterior localised pain (only when there’s SIJ posterior ligaments/fracture/SIJ dysfunction)
Positive test = decreased posterior pain (only when there’s SIJ instability)

Question 16

SIJ distraction test

Answer 16

Positive test = anterior localised pain (testing for anterior SIJ or pubic joint sprain/fracture)

Question 17

Crank test

Answer 17

Positive test = pain (testing for glenoid labrum lesions/glenohumeral ligaments)

Question 18

Clunk test

Answer 18

Positive test = clunking/grinding sounds (testing for glenoid labrum lesions)

Question 19

Kim’s test

Answer 19

Positive test = posterior shoulder pain and crepitus (testing for posterior inferior labrum lesions)

Question 20

O’briens test

Answer 20

Positive test = pain or painful crepitus inside shoulder
If pain is present in internal rotation —> Labrador/SLAP/AC pathology
If pain is present in external rotation—> bicep long head tendinopathy

Question 21

Empty can test

Answer 21

Positive test = pain (testing for injury or lesions for the supraspinatus muscle)

Question 22

Neer’s impingement test

Answer 22

Positive test = pain
If pain is present in internal rotation —> supraspinatus impingement/subacromial bursitis
If pain is present in external rotation —> biceps long head tendinopathy

Question 23

Yergason’s test

Answer 23

Positive test = pain
If there’s pain on bicepital groove —> biceps tendinopathy
If bicep tendon slips/pops out of bicipital groove during supination —> transverse humeral ligament is torn
If pain in shoulder —> glenoid labrum pathology

Question 24

Speed’s test

Answer 24

Positive test = pain (testing for bicipital tendinitis/impingement syndrome/ labrum lesions/bursitis

Question 25

Cozen’s test

Answer 25

Positive test = pain or weakness (testing for lateral epicondylitis)

Question 26

Reverse cozen’s test

Answer 26

Positive test = pain or weakness (testing for medial epicondylitis)

Question 27

Mill’s test

Answer 27

Positive test = pain or weakness (testing for lateral epicondylitis)

Question 28

Reverse mill’s test

Answer 28

Positive test = pain or weakness (testing for medial epicondylitis)

Question 29

Varus stress test

Answer 29

Positive test = pain (testing for lateral ligament sprain)

Question 30

Valgus stress test

Answer 30

Positive test = pain (testing for medial ligament sprain)

Question 31

Finklesteins test

Answer 31

Positive test = pain on lateral wrist (testing for tenosynovitis abductor policies longus/extensor policies brevis

Question 32

Phalen’s test

Answer 32

Positive test = pain/numbness/tingle distal to compression (testing for carpal tunnel syndrome)

Question 33

Reverse phalen’s test

Answer 33

Positive test = pain/numbness/tingle distal to compression (testing for carpal tunnel syndrome)

Question 34

Ulnomeniscotriquetral dorsal glide

Answer 34

Positive test = pain or laxity in TFCC area (testing for TFCC damage)

Question 35

TFCC dorsal glide

Answer 35

Positive test = pain or laxity in TFCC area (testing for TFCC damage)

Question 36

Tinel’s

Answer 36

Positive test = pain/numbness/tingle distal to compression (testing for neuropathy/carpal tunnel syndrome/pronator teres impingement)

Question 37

Allen’s test

Answer 37

Positive test = skin remains bleached for more than 5 seconds (testing for artery stenosis or occlusion)

Question 38

Scour’s test

Answer 38

Positive test = increased local pain or crepitus (testing for hip joint pathology/osteoarthritis/capsulitis/Labrador tear/acetabular impingement/slipped capital femoral epiphysis)

Question 39

FABER test

Answer 39

Positive test = increased local pain or inability to perform test (testing for hip joint pathology/osteoarthritis/capsulitis/sprain/strain/tight hip adductors

Question 40

FADIR test

Answer 40

Positive test = pain and reproduction of symptoms (testing for anterior-superior impingement syndrome/anterior labral tear/iliopsoas tendinitis)

Question 41

Posterior Labral tear

Answer 41

Positive test = local pain in groin/reproduction of symptoms with or without click (testing for labral tear/anterior hip instability/ posterior inferior impingement)

Question 42

Trendelenburgs sign

Answer 42

Positive test = pelvis drops on opposite side, indicating weak gluteus medius or unstable hip/dislocation (testing hip abductors ability to stabilise the pelvis on femur)

Question 43

Ober’s test

Answer 43

Positive test = tight IT band trochanteric bursitis (testing for TFL contracture/pain at hip/trochanteric bursitis)

Question 44

Clack’s test

Answer 44

Positive test = retropatella pain (testing for chrondromalacia patella/degeneration of patella femoral joint)

Question 45

Apley’s compression

Answer 45

Positive test = pain on compression and rotation (testing for meniscal damage)

Question 46

Apley’s distraction

Answer 46

Positive test = increased pain on distraction (testing for capsule/ligament lesion/collateral ligament sprain)

Question 47

McMurray’s test

Answer 47

Positive test = pain/crepitus when knee is extended If tibia internally rotated —> testing for lateral meniscus If tibia externally rotated —> testing for medial meniscus

Question 48

Ege’s test

Answer 48

Positive test = pain/crepitus (testing for meniscus lesion) If tibia internally rotated —> lateral meniscus If tibia externally rotated —> medial meniscus

Question 49

Thessly’s test

Answer 49

Positive test = medial or lateral joint discomfort (testing for meniscus lesions)

Question 50

Anterior draw test

Answer 50

Positive test = pain or excessive motion (rupture) (tibia moves 6mm+) (testing for ACL sprain/rupture) Could indicate injury in ACL, Iliotibial band, MCL, posterolateral capsule, posteromedial capsule, posterior oblique ligament

Question 51

Posterior draw test

Answer 51

Positive test = pain or excessive motion (rupture) (tibia moves 6mm+) (testing for PCL sprain/rupture) Could indicate injury in PCL, posterior oblique ligament, ACL

Question 52

Lachman’s test

Answer 52

Positive test = pain or excessive motion or a mushy/soft end feel when the tibia is moved forward on femur (testing for ACL/PCL) GOLD STANDARD

Question 53

Anterior Ankle drawer test

Answer 53

Positive test = anterior motion of the foot (testing for anterior talofibular ligament instability)

Question 54

Posterior ankle drawer test

Answer 54

Positive test = posterior motion of the foot (testing for posterior ankle ligament instability)

Question 55

Inversion talar tilt

Answer 55

Positive test = pain on ankle inversion (testing for lateral ligament sprain) Could be anterior talofibular ligament, calcaneofibular ligament, posterior talofibular ligament

Question 56

Eversion talar tilt

Answer 56

Positive test = pain on ankle Eversion (testing for deltoid ligament sprain) (RARE)