Ankle/ knee exams

Thompson’s test

Flip patient on their stomach with feet and ankles hanging off the table and squeeze the calf.

If the feet does not move/ plantar flex, then they are positive for a rupture in the achilles tendon

Kleiger’s test

Have the patient sit with their legs hanging off the table and dorsiflex and externally rotate the ankle while stabilizing.

A positive test is indicated by pain or discomfort with the movement and shows they are positive for a deltoid or syndesmotic sprain.

Anterior drawer Test Ankle

Have the patient sit with their ankles slighly hanging off the table and stabilize the tibia and pull up on the heel.

A positive test is indicated by instability or laxity in the tibia and shows they have an injury in the anterior talofibular ligament

Talar tilt test

Have the patient sit with their feet slightly off of table and stabalize the ankle and invert the foot.

A positive test is shown by excessive tilting or laxity of the talus and shows a calcaneofibular injury.

Squeeze Test

Have the patient sit on the table with their back pushed against the wall and squeeze at the sides of the leg.

Pain in this action shows a positive sign of a distal fibular fracture or injury

Bump test

Have the patient sit with their feet slightly off of table and have them dorsiflex and gently tap the heel.

Pain at the heel shows a positive sign for a talus fracture or injury

Clarke’s test

Have the patient sit with their back against the wall and their feet straight out and push the patella down and make them make a quad muscle

A positive test indicates pain or grinding of the knee in this and shows signs of chondromalacia or deterioration/softness of the patella

Anterior drawer Knee

Have the patient sit on the table with their knee up at 90 degrees on the table and have them externally rotate and sit on the foot. Find the joint line and pull up towards you.

Positive test is indicated by laxity and shows an injury in the Anterior cruciate ligament.

Posterior drawer Knee

Have the patient sit on the table with their knee up at 90 degrees on the table and have them externally rotate and sit on the foot. Find the joint line and push down away from you.

Positive test is indicated by laxity and shows an injury in the Posterior cruciate ligament.

Lachman’s test

Have the patient lay back and bring their knee up to 30 degrees have them externally rotate and grab the thigh and under the knee and pull up.

A positive test is shown by excessive movement or laxity and shows an injury in the anterior cruciate ligament

Lelli’s test

Have the patient sit with their back all the way against the wall and place your fist under the patient’s calf and push down on the thigh.

A positive test is indicated when the heel does not lift off of the table when pressure is applied and also indicates an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Sag test

Have the patient lay back and lift their legs up and bend their knees.

A fall in the tibia indicates a positive test and an injury in the posterior cruciate ligament

Pivot shift test

The test involves applying a combination of internal tibial rotation, valgus force, and knee flexion

Positive test is a reduction of the tibia and femur and shows acl injury

Mcmurray’s test

Patient supine with knee maximally flexed find the joint line
Lateral Meniscus= Passively internally rotate the knee and extend
Medial Meniscus = Passively externally rotate the knee and extend
~pain along joint line when test is performed suggest positive test and shows a meniscus injury

Valgus stress test

lay the patient back and find the joint line and push in on the lateral aspect while stabilizing the inside of the knee of the knee of a joint in an attempt to create a gap in the medial joint line and have the patient rotate their foot inward

~medical collateral ligament (MCL)
~excessive movement/gap is a positive test

Varus stress test

lay the patient back and have them rotate their foot outward and push out on the inside of the knee while stabilizing the outside of the knee to the medial aspect of a joint in an attempt to create a gap in the lateral joint line,
~Lateral collateral ligament
~excessive gap and movement indicates positive test

Apply compression/distraction

Have the patient lay on their stomach and lift their leg up to 90 degrees and push down on foot and the ankle and rotate internally and externally

A positive test is indicated by pain or restricted movement and shows they have a meniscus injury.