Physical Exam-Knee Flashcards
Where should you palpate a patient’s knee if you suspect a lateral collateral ligament tear?
LCL tears rarely occur in the middle of the ligament. You need to palpate the tibial and femoral attachments.
What structures do you palpate in this patient as you move posteriolaterally?
Lateral joint line, anterior horn of the lateral meniscus, LCL, biceps femurs tendon and the IT band.
What can you have the patient do to get a better angle for palpation of the LCL?
Have them lie down and make a figure 4
What structures should you feel in this patient as you palpate medially?
Medial joint line, anterior horn of the medial meniscus, MCL, posterior horn of the medial meniscus, semimembranosus and semitendinosis.
What is the most common location for a meniscal tear?
Posterior horn of the medial meniscus
What muscles insert on the pes anserine region?
Sartorius, Gracilis and Semitendinosus
What areas of the knee do you palpate for bursitis?
The lateral portion where the IT band crosses the lateral femoral epicondyle and the pes anserine.
What elements are you looking for in inspection of the knee?
Gait (antalgic, shuffling), Swelling, Eccymosis, Atrophy and Varus/Valgus
What components do you look for in the neurovascualar exam of the knee?
L4,L5,S1 sensation and distal pulses
What are the special tests for knee effusion, meniscal tears and ligament tears?
Effusion (warm-cold-warm test and fluid wave), Meniscus (McMurray’s), Ligaments (Ant/Pos Drawer ACL test, Lachman’s ACL test, Varus(LCL)/Valgus(MCL) stress test).
What is the most sensitive test for ACL injury?
Lachman’s Test
What are the special tests for patellar injury?
Dislocation (Patellar apprehension test) and Patellofemoral (Patellar grind, retropatellar tenderness, Patellar shrug test)
