Special Tests LE Flashcards
Ely’s Test
Identifies rectus femoris tightness
Patient prone, with knee of testing limb flexed. Observe hip of testing limb
Positive if hip of testing limb flexes
90-90 Hamstring test
Tests hamstring length
Positive if unable to reach 10 degrees from neutral position
Piriformis test
Identifies piriformis syndrome
Patient supine, with foot of test leg passively paced lateral to opposite limb’s knee. Testing hip is adducted. Observe position of testing knee relative to opposite knee
Positive if testing knee is unable to pass over resting knee, and/or reproduction of patin
Craig’s Test
Identifies abnormal femoral ante torsion angle
Patient prone with knee flexed to 90. Palpate greater trochanter and slowly move hip through IR/ER. When greater trochanter feels most lateral, stop and measure the angle of leg relative to a line perpendicular with table surface
Normal angle is between 8-15 degrees. <8 retroverted, >15 anteverted
Pivot shift test
Indicated integrity of ACL
Patient supine, with testing knee in extension, hip flexed and abducted to 30 degrees with slight IR. Hold knee with one hand and foot with other hand. Place valgus force through knee and flex knee
Positive is ligament laxity is indicated if tibia relocating during the test. As knee is flexed, the tibia clucks backward at about 30-40 degrees.
Apley’s test
Helps differentiate between meniscal tears and ligamentous lesions
Patient prone, with testing knee flexed to 90. Stabilize patient’s thigh to table with your knee. Passively distract the knee joint, then slowly rotate tibia internally and externally. Next apply a compressive load to knee joint and again slowly rotate tibia IR/ER.
Pain or decreased motion indicates meniscal dysfunction. If pain or increased motion occurs during the distraction then it is ligamentous
Hughston’s plica test
Identifies dysfunction of plica
Patient is supine and testing knee is flexed with tibia IR. Passively glide the patella medially, while palpating the medial femoral condyle. Feel of popping as you passively flex and extend the knee
Positive finding is pain and/or popping
Patellar apprehension test
Indicates past history of patellar dislocation
Patient supine with patella passively glided laterally
Patient doesn’t allow or does not like the movement
Clarke’s Sign
Indicates patellofemoral dysfunction
Patient supine, with knee in extension resting on table. Push posterior on superior pole of patella, then ask patient to perform contraction of quad.
Pain is produced in knee as a result of the test
Ballotable patella (patellar tap test)
Indicates infra patellar effusion
Patient supine, with knee in extension resting on table. Apply a soft tap over the central patella
Positive finding is perception of the patella floating (dancing patella sign)
Fluctuation Test
Indicates knee joint effusion
Patient supine, with knee in extension resting on table. Place on hand over supra patellar pouch an other over anterior aspect of one joint. Alternate pushing down with one hand at a time
Positive finding is fluctuation (movement) of fluid noted during the test
Noble Compression Test
Identifies whether distal IT band friction syndrome is present
Patient supine, with hip flexed to 45 and knee flexed to 90. Apply pressure to lateral femoral epicondyle then extend knee
Reproduces same pain over lateral femoral condyle. Patient will complain of pain over lateral femoral epicondyle at approximately 30 degrees flexion
Wilson Test
Identifies osteochondritis dissecans of the medial femoral condyle
Patient sitting on edge of table. Patient actively extends knee with medial rotation of tibia
Positive if pain is present at 30 degrees with medial rotation, but no pain with lateral tibial rotation
Morton’s sign
identifies stress fracture or neuroma in forefoot
Patient supine, with foot supported. Grasp around met heads and squeeze
Positive is pian in forefoot
Kleiger test
Identifies integrity of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis
Patient is seated on edge of table with knee at 90. examiner applies an ER force to the foot while holding tibia in neutral position
Positive if symptom or visible joint gapping are reproduced
