Special MSK Joint Tests Flashcards
Ankle Anterior Draw
Tests for ATFL instability/ tear
Pt foot off end of bed, pull calcaneus forward.
+ive if increased movement, pain, laxity
Talar Tilt
Tests CTFL, ATFL, deltoid ligament
Pt prone, knee bent, foot in air, hold calcaneus invert at talus.
+ive if more movement, pain, laxity
Thompson’s Test
Tests for achilles tendon rupture
Pt kneeling off end of plinth, squeeze down bulk of gastroc.
+ive if no/abnormal plantar flexion
Lachman’s
Tests ACL rupture
Pt supine, slight hip and knee flexion, hand under JL and apply PA movement
+ive if increase movement or laxity, more noticeable joint line
Knee Anterior Draw
Tests ACL rupture
Pt supine, knee bent, foot flat on plinth, sit on to stabilise, hands around tibial tuberosity and posterior joint line, pull tibia forward.
+ive if increased tibial glide, laxity, more noticeable JL
Knee Posterior Draw
Tests PCL rupture
Pt supine, knee bent, foot flat on plinth, sit on to stabilise, hands around tibial tuberosity and posterior joint line, push tibia backwards AP.
+ive if increase tibial glide, pain
Posterior Sag Sign
Tests PCL rupture
Pt long sitting, hip flex knee flex 90, lift pt leg to 90/90 flexion, hold by calcaneus
+ive if sagging below patella
Valgus Stress Knee
Tests MCL rupture
Pt supine, shotgun hand position, one hand lateral knee, one hand medial malleolus, apply LM on lateral knee and ML on malleolus
+ive if increased gapping on medial JL
Varus Stress Knee
Tests LCL rupture
Pt supine, shotgun hand position, one hand medial knee, one hand lateral malleolus, apply ML on medial knee and LM on lateral malleolus
+ive if increased gapping on lateral JL
McMurrays
Tests meniscal tear
Pt supine, hold calcaneus sole of foot going up forearm, thumb and pinky either side by malleolus, support under JL to 90 knee flex then change to lateral knee to apply adduction force, externally rotate foot for medial meniscus, internally rotate foot for lateral meniscus, adduct knee and extend knee with lower hand
+ive if crepitus, pain, popping, locking, catching
Apley’s Grind Test
Tests meniscal tears
Pt prone, knee bent foot in air, hold distal tib/fib, apply rotational pressures, then add downwards pressures with rotation
+ive if pop, crepitus, locking, catching
Thessaly’s Test
Tests meniscal tears
Pt standing on 1 leg, hold onto physio hands for support, slight bend in knee, internal and external rotate.
+ive if popping, crepitus, locking, catching, pain
Clark’s PF Grind Test
Tests PF joint
Pt supine, knee straight, tests quads contraction, apply downward force with thenar eminence above patella then flatten palm, get pt to contract quads.
+ive if crepitus, pain, popping
Trendelenburg Sign
Tests weak hip stabilisers
Pt stand on one leg, bring other knee to chest.
+ive if drop hip laterally or posterior
Obers Test
Tests hip tightness - ITB, TFL
Pt side lying, bottom leg bent, fix hip with one hand, support under top leg knee with other arm hook lower leg around body, extend, abduct top leg, squat down to adduct leg.
+ive if fail to drop as low as other hip
FABER/ FADIR
Tests hip mobility
Pt prone
FABER - figure 4 position, flex hip, abduct, external rotate
FADIR - flex, adduct, internal rotate, take knee towards other hip
Add passive over pressure if pain free
+ive if knees not level, pain, catching, tightness
Quadrant Test
Tests back of capsule hip pathologies
Pt supine, flex hip and adduct, apply downward pressure through top of knee through femur, move through semi-circle motion of hip flexion
+ive if decreased ROM, pain, crepitus
Thomas Test
Tests for hip flexibility - iliopsoas, rec fem
Pt supine, bring knee to chest with a flat back
Modified - perch on end of plinth, hug on knee and roll back onto back with other leg off end of plinth.
+ive if other leg lifts off surface, abducts, externally rotates
Straight Leg Raise
Tests sciatic nerve extensibility
Pt supine, knee straight, raise leg to max hip flex with straight knee. lower and add dorsiflexion and lift, add passive neck flexion
+ive if decreased range, nerve symptoms
Finkelstein Test
Tests for abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis tendinopathy
Tuck thumb in fist and ulnar deviate
+ive if pain down thumb
Tinel’s Sign
Tests for carpal tunnel syndrome
Pt palm up, light tapping over median nerve around carpals
+ive if symptoms reoccur
Phalen’s
Tests for carpal tunnel syndrome
Flex wrists and put back of hands together
+ive if symptoms reoccur