Skills Check 3 Flashcards
How to palpate tendon (patellar ligament) -> superior and inferior
Palpate along length of insertion from patella to tibial tubercle
-Palpate on medial and lateral sides of depression
How to palpate tibial tubercle
Partner seated, knee flexed. Locate patella and move down 3-4 inches inferior and will feel a bony prominece
Apex of patella
Inferior pole of patella
Base of patella
Superior pole of patella
How to palpate patella
Have knee slightly flexed and note position of patella in terms of base, apex, and medial/lateral aspect
How to palpate suprapatellar bursa
-Extends 3 finger breadths over superior patellar pole
How to palpate tibial platea
Knee flexed to 90 degrees. Place thumbs on either side of patella. move into joint space and continue moving medially until you reach bony prominence.
How to palpate medial tibial condyle
Lies immediately inferior to tibial plateau and provides attachment for pes anserine
How to palpate femoral condyles
Supine with knee fully extended. Locate sides of patella. Shift patella medially and slide off of it onto lateral condyle. Palpate medial condyle in same way but shift patella laterally.
How to palpate femoral epicondyles
Partner seated with knee flexed. Locate patella. Slide directly laterally from patella. return to patella and slide medially for other epicondyle.
How to palpate adductor tubercle
Partner seated. Knee flexed. Locate medial epicondyle of femur. Slide superiorly along medial side of femur and you can feel the bone drop off (abductor magnus is here).perform resisted adduction
How to palpate medial coronary ligament
Medial to patellar tendon on superior surface of tibial plateau (knee should be flexed at 90 degrees and tibia externally rotated)
How to palpate medial collateral ligament
2-3 cm wide passing from medial femur epicondyle to medial tibial condyle
How to palpate pes anserine
Locate tibial tuberosity. Slide medially one inch and then do resisted knee flexion.
Palpate Lateral tubercle of tibia (Gerdy’s Tubercle)
On anterolateral aspect of tibia immediately below lateral tibial plateau and lateral to tibial tuberosity
-Distal attachment of IT band
-resisted hip flexion
How to palpate head of fibula
Easier to palpate with knee flexed and tibia internally rotated. Slide fingers laterally 3-4 inches. (can also have prone and follow the bicep femoris tendon)
How to palpate lateral collateral ligament
-Passes from fibular head to lateral femoral condyle
-Cross leg and let it fall into abduction and ER, palpate the LCL as a rope-like structure
How to palpate trochlear groove
Superiorly above patella, lateral will be more prominent (better to have knee flexed)
How to palpate lateral coronary ligament
Palpate on tibial plateau with the knee in flexion and IR
How to palpate iliopatellar fibers
Palpate posterolateral ridge of the base of the patella (fibers go to it band from base of patella)
How to palpate hamstring tendons and muscle belly
In prone lying with knee slightly flexed and resisted knee flexion
How to palpate popliteal fossa
Contains superficial to deep: tibial nerve, popliteal vein and popliteal artery
How to palpate menisci
Have knee flexed. Place thumb superior to tibial plateau in joint spaces between femur and tibia. Grasp leg with hand and rotate either medially or laterally. The menisci will push against the thumb
How to palpate quadriceps
have sitting leg on edge of bed and do resisted extension (vastus lateralis -> knee internal rotation; medialis -> knee external rotation, rectus femoris just middle in extension and vastus intermedius is underneath rectus femoris