Knee Special Tests & Clinical Examination

Master diagnostic physical examination special tests for Knee. Sensitivity, specificity, and step-by-step performance guidelines.

Lachman Test

Assessing the integrity of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), specifically the posterolateral bundle.Considered the “Gold Standard&...

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Anterior Drawer Test (Knee)

Assessing the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) (anteromedial bundle)....

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Pivot Shift Test

Diagnosing Anterolateral Rotatory Instability (ACL + lateral capsule injury).Replicates the “giving way” sensation....

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Posterior Drawer Test (Knee)

Assessing the integrity of the Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL)....

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Posterior Sag Sign (Godfrey's Test)

Visual assessment of PCL integrity....

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Quadriceps Active Test

Confirming PCL Rupture....

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Dial Test (Tibial External Rotation)

Differentiating between isolated Posterolateral Corner (PLC) injury and combined PCL + PLC injury....

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Valgus Stress Test (Knee)

Assessing the Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL)....

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Varus Stress Test (Knee)

Assessing the Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL)....

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Apley’s Distraction Test

Distinguishing ligamentous injury from meniscal injury....

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McMurray’s Test (Medial)

Diagnosing tears of the Posterior Horn of the Medial Meniscus....

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McMurray’s Test (Lateral)

Diagnosing tears of the Lateral Meniscus....

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Apley’s Compression Test

Diagnosing Meniscal Tears....

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Thessaly Test

Dynamic reproduction of meniscal loading (considered more accurate than McMurray's)....

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Ege's Test

Functional loading test for Meniscal Tears....

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Bounce Home Test

Detecting Meniscal Tears or loose bodies blocking extension....

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Patellar Apprehension Test (Fairbank’s)

Assessing history of Lateral Patellar Dislocation....

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Patellofemoral Grind Test (Clarke’s Sign)

Detecting Chondromalacia Patella or Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS)....

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Waldron’s Test

Assessing Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) functionally....

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Medial Plica Test (Mital & Hayden)

Diagnosing Mediopatellar Plica Syndrome....

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Hughston’s Plica Test

Diagnosing Suprapatellar Plica Syndrome....

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Wilson’s Test

Diagnosing Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD) of the medial femoral condyle....

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Patellar Tap / Ballottement Test

Detecting Major Knee Effusion (swelling)....

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Knee Range of Motion

Measuring physiological limits....

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Popliteal Angle Test

Assessing Hamstring Tightness (Contracture), commonly in Cerebral Palsy....

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Garrick Test

Diagnosing Popliteus Tendinopathy....

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Knee General Examination

Learn how to perform the Knee General Examination orthopedic special test.

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Slocum Test (Rotatory Drawer)

Diagnosing Anteromedial (AMRI) or Anterolateral (ALRI) Rotatory Instability.This is a modification of the Anterior Drawer Test....

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Jerk Test of Hughston

Diagnosing Anterolateral Rotatory Instability (ALRI) (ACL + Lateral Capsule).Similar to the Pivot Shift but performed in reverse (Flexion to...

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Losee Test

Diagnosing Anterolateral Rotatory Instability (ALRI).Considered a dynamic variation of the Pivot Shift....

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Noyes Flexion-Rotation Drawer Test

Diagnosing Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tears and ALRI....

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External Rotation Recurvatum Test

Diagnosing Posterolateral Corner (PLC) instability or PCL injury....

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Reverse Pivot Shift Test (Jakob)

Diagnosing Posterolateral Rotatory Instability (PLRI)....

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Loomer’s Posterolateral Rotary Instability Test

Diagnosing Posterolateral Corner (PLC) injury....

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Crossover Test (Arnold)

Differentiating between Anterolateral (ALRI) and Anteromedial (AMRI) instability....

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Childress Sign (Duck Walk Test)

Functional test for Meniscal Tears (specifically posterior horn)....

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Brush / Stroke Test (Swipe Test)

Detecting Minimal Knee Effusion (swelling) that Ballottement might miss....

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Fluctuation Test

Detecting Large Knee Effusion....

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Indentation Test

Differentiating Synovial Thickening from Joint Effusion....

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McConnell Test

Diagnosing Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS)....

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Q-Angle Measurement

Assessing patellar tracking alignment....

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Tubercle Sulcus Angle

Assessing lateral patellar tracking (alternate to Q-angle)....

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Plica Stutter Test

Diagnosing Medial Plica Syndrome....

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Lever Sign (Lelli's Test)

Diagnosing Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) rupture.Effective even in patients with large legs or acute guarding....

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Prone Lachman Test

Diagnosing ACL Rupture.Useful for examiners with small hands or patients with large legs....

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