Special tests

Question 1

ballotable patella

Answer 1

purpose: swelling of the knee
action: knee extended, slight pressure over patella
positive: floating patella

Question 2

Minor effusion test (brush test) pg. 1107

Answer 2

purpose: test for edema
action: brush up on medial side of the knee 3 times and the lateral one time
positive: out-pouching on the medial side of the knee

Question 3

Girth testing

Question 4

talar tilt

Answer 4

purpose: rupture or torn ligaments
action: supine/side lying, foot in anatomical position, grasp talus. test in adduction, abduction and abduction with PF
positive: Pain with;
- adduction= calcaneofibular
- abduction= deltoid ligament
- AB & PF= anterior talofibular

Question 5

valgus & varus stress test

Answer 5

purpose: test stability of medial & lateral collateral ligaments
action: palpate ligament, flex elbow slightly and apply adduction/varus force to test the lateral; abduction/valgus stress for medial
positive: pain, laxity & decreased mobility

Question 6

apleys distraction

Answer 6

purpose: ligament injury
action: prone, knee at 90 degrees, anchor bent leg with my knee, grab above malleoli and the foot then laterally and medially rotate with distraction
positive: restriction, excess movement or discomfort

Question 7

posterior drawer test of the knee

Answer 7

purpose: posterior instability
action: prone, knee bent, sit on cx foot, grasp around tibial tuberosity with both thumbs and push tibia posteriorly
positive: excess movement (more than 6 mm)

Question 8

lachmans

Answer 8

purpose: anterior instability (ACL injury)
action: supine, extend leg, hold femurand pull leg with other hand
positive: mushy/soft end-feel and disappearance of infra-patellar slope

Question 9

McMurrays

Answer 9

purpose: meniscus injury
action: supine, palpate knee joint, bring leg into extension and external rotation to test medial meniscus and extension and internal rotation to test lateral meniscus
positive: snap and click, pain or locking

Question 10

bargards sign

Answer 10

purpose: medial meniscus injury
action: supine, I flex their knee, laterally rotate tibia and extend knee
positive: pain and tenderness on medial joint line

Question 11

radial stress

Answer 11

purpose: test the radial collateral ligament (for injuries, laxity)
positive: pain, laxity

Question 12

Ulnar stress test

Answer 12

purpose: to test the ulnar collateral ligament (for injuries, laxity)
positive: pain, laxity

Question 13

AC shear test

Answer 13

purpose: AC joint pathologies
action: seated. cup hand over deltoid mm, one hand on the clavical and one of the spine of scapular and squeeze hands together
positive: pain or abnormal movement of AC joint

Question 14

SI joint gapping

Answer 14

purpose: strain of anterior SI ligaments
action: supine. apply pressure on both ASIS with palm of hands, push down and out
positive: unilateral gluteal or posterior leg pain

Question 15

SI joint squish test

Answer 15

purpose: sprain of posterior SI ligaments
action: supine. same as gapping but pressure is down and in
positive: pain

Question 16

apleys compression

Answer 16

purpose: meniscal tear
action: prone, knee at 90 degrees, anchor bent leg with my knee, grab above malleoli and the foot then laterally and medially rotate with compression
positive: restriction or discomfort

Question 17

anterior drawer test of the knee

Answer 17

purpose: anterior instability
action: prone, knee bent, sit on cx foot, grasp around tibial tuberosity with both thumbs and pull tibia anteriorly
positive: excess anterior movement

Question 18

hawkins kennedy test

Answer 18

purpose: supraspinatus tendontitis
action: client seated, flex their arm and elbow then medially rotate shoulder
positive: face shows pain

Question 19

speeds test

Answer 19

purpose: bicipital tendonitis if pain, strain if weak
action: standing. they resist shoulder flexion while supinating and then pronating
positive: tenderness in the bicipital groove and/or weakness

Question 20

neer impingement

Answer 20

purpose: bicipital tendonitis
action: stand behind or in fron of them while they are seated, forcefully flex shoulder
positive: face shows pain

Question 21

mills test

Answer 21

purpose: tests for lateral epicondylitis
action: arm out (flexed) a little, elbow extended, wrist flexed an resist wrist flexion
positive: pain over lateral epicondyle

Question 22

cozens test

Answer 22

purpose: tests for lateral epicondylitis
action: stabilize elbow (sitting), palpate lateral epicondyle with one hand. they make a fist and forearm pronated. resist radial deviation and extension
positive: pain over lateral epicondyle

Question 23

method 3 test

Answer 23

purpose: test for lateral epicondylitis
action: resist extension of the 3rd digit (middle finger)
positive: pain over lateral epi

Question 24

reverse mills test

Answer 24

purpose: tests for medial epicondylitis
action: forearm supinated, extend wrist for them while palpating medial epicondyle
positive: pain over medial epicondyle

Question 25

tinel sign at the elbow

Answer 25

purpose: test for neurological dysfunction of the ulnar nerve
action: tap ulnar nerve in the cubital tunnel groove between olecranon process & medial epi
positive: tingling along ulnar side of arm

Question 26

finklesteins test

Answer 26

purpose: test for Dequervains tenosynovitis
action: cx makes a fist with thumb inside fingers. examiner stabilizes the forearm and ulnar deviates the wrist (test bilaterally)
positive: pain over abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis tendons at the wrist

Question 27

yeargasons test

Answer 27

purpose: bicipital tendonitis or rupture of transverse humeral ligament
action: elbow flexed 90 degrees, stabled against thorax, pronated and then resist supination while laterally rotating
positive: tenderness in bicipital groove or tendon popping out of groove

Question 28

empty can test

Answer 28

purpose: tear in supraspinatus mm/tendon or neuropathy of the suprascapular nerve
action: arms flexed to 90 degrees out to the side with thumbs up, they press up into resistance, bring arms forward a little and thumbs down, they press up into resistance
positive: weakness/px

Question 29

drop arm test

Answer 29

purpose: tear in rotator cuff
action: we abduct the shoulder 90 degrees, cx slowly lowers
positive: unable to return arm slowly or px

Question 30

Obers test

Answer 30

purpose: IT band/TFL contracture or trochanteris bursitis
action: side lying. lower leg is flexed for stability. upper leg abducted and extended back, knee flexed and slowly lower to the table
positive: contracture= leg will not lower. bursitis=pain over GT

Question 31

patrick’s test (fabers)

Answer 31

purpose: hip joint pathology. iliopsoas spasm or SI may be affected
action: client supine, test leg ankle over knee of opposite leg, push on test leg and stabilize hip with other hand
positive: if leg remains above opposite leg or pain in hip/SI indicates SI/hip/iliopsoas