Special Tests Flashcards
Lump special tests
Transillumination
Ascultate
Ulcer special tests
Peripheral pulses
light touch and pressure sensation
Upper limb neurological special tests
Pronator drift
How do you test pronator drift
Patients arms outstretched and supinated
Examiner gently taps on one of the outstretched arms
This should be corrected
What is a positive for pronator drift
Patient’s arms start to pronate and drift downwards
What does a positive pronator drift test suggest
Collateral upper motor neurone lesion
Lower limb neurological special tests
Rombergs test
How do you perform Rombergs test
Patient stands with feet together, arms outstretched in front of the them, hands suppinated
What is are abnormal Romberg test results
Patient cannot perform test with their eyes open. Or when eyes closed the patient rocks and sways
What does inability to perform Romberg test with eyes open suggest
Cerebellar lesion
What does rocking and swaying when the eyes are closed suggest in Romberg test
Loss of proprioception
Hip special tests
Thomas’ test
Assess gait
Trendelenburgs test
How do you perform Thomas’s test
Place hand between lumbar spine and bed. Flex the ipsilateral hip and look for correction of lumbar lordosis
What is an abnormal Thomas’s test
The contralateral leg (hip you are testing (not touching)) will raise off the bed
What does an abnormal Thomas’s test suggest
Fixed flexion deformity
How do you assess gait
Watch the patient walking
What is an abnormal gait in a hip examination
Waddling gait
Antalgic gait
What does an abnormal gait in a hip examination suggest
Waddling= hip pain or proximal muscle weakness Antalgic= pain on weight bearing
How do you perform trendelenburgs test
Ask the patient to stand on one leg
What is an abnormal trendelenburgs test result
The pelvis will dip on the contralateral side (sound side sags)
What does an abnormal trendelenburgs test result suggest
Reduced abductor muscle strength
What are the abductors of the hip
Gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, tensor fascia latae and sartorius
Cranial nerve examination special tests
Rinnes Test
Webers Test
How do you perform Rinnes test
Hold 512Hz tuning fork on the mastoid and then immediately move it to the external acoustic meatus.
What is an abnormal Rinnes test result
The tuning fork will sound louder when on the mastoid
What does an abnormal Rinnes test result suggest
Conductive hearing loss
sensorineural=quitter at both
How do you perform Webers test
Hold 512Hx tuning fork on the forehead in the midline
What is an abnormal Webers test
Sound is louder in one of the ears
What does an abnormal Webers test suggest
Conductive= louder in affected ear Sensorineural= louder in normal ear
Knee examination special tests
Lachmans test
McMurrays test
What is an abnormal gait, knee examination
Abnormal toeing angle or antalgic gait