Special Tests

Question 1

Talar Tilt

Answer 1

Hold distal ankle and calcaneous, invert foot.
ATFL & CFL
+ve = pain and laxity

Question 2

Thompson’s Test

Answer 2

Supine, squeeze calf
Achilles Rupture
+ve = if foot doesn’t plantarflex

Question 3

Tinels Test (ankle)

Answer 3

Top on top of ankle and behind medial malleolus
Nerve Irritation
+ve = tingling on top (peroneal), tingling behind malleolus (tibial or plantar nerve)

Question 4

ER

Answer 4

Patient sits on bed, dorsiflex and evert foot
Syndesmotic pathology
+ve = pain

Question 5

Squeeze test

Answer 5

Compress mid way to 2/3 up tibia
Syndesmotic pathology
+ve = pain distally when squeezing proximally

Question 6

Knee to Wall Test

Answer 6

Stan by wall and try to tough knee to wall
ROM
+ve - pain and lack of ROM

Question 7

Calf Endurance

Answer 7

Constant hell raises

Used for objective marker

Question 8

Toe Walking

Answer 8

Walk on toes
Neuro, plantarflexors and ROM
+ve = pain and lack of ROM

Question 9

Anterior draw (knee)

Answer 9

Supine, leg at 45 degrees, anteriorly translate tibia
ACL integrity
+ve = laxity

Question 10

Posterior draw

Answer 10

Supine, leg at 45 degrees, posteriorly translate tibia
PCL integrity
+ve = laxity

Question 11

Lachmanns Test

Answer 11

Patient at slight angle, anteriorly translate tibia
ACL integrity
+ve - laxity

Question 12

Dial test

Answer 12

Prime, externally rotate feet and flex knees
Posterolateral corner integrity
+ve - clear difference between sides

Question 13

Posterior sag

Answer 13

Hip and knee flexed
Posterior stability and PCL integrity
+ve = tibia sags down

Question 14

Thessaly Test

Answer 14

Hold hands of patient whilst then stand on one bent leg. They rotate body around
Meniscal tear
+ve = locking

Question 15

McMurray’s Test

Answer 15

Flex hip and give valgus (lateral) force, then rotate and flex whilst applying varus (medial) force
Meniscal pathology
+ve = clunk or thud

Question 16

Apley’s grind

Answer 16

Patient supine, knee bent and push down on foot and externally and internally rotate

Question 17

Duck walk

Answer 17

Squatting and waddling
Meniscus pathology
+ve = pain on joint line

Question 18

Omer’s test (Knee)

Answer 18

Patient side lying, extend hip and flex knee. Let hip drop
ITB tightness
+ve = if there is pain when hip drops and then relieved when hip is further extended

Question 19

Sweep test

Answer 19

Rub hand down leg, up medially and down laterally

+ve = fluid within knee

Question 20

Varus stress test

Answer 20

Push thigh out and tibia in
LCL integrity and lateral stability
+ve = laxity

Question 21

Valgus stress test

Answer 21

Push thigh in and tibia out
MCL integrity
+ve = laxity

Question 22

FABERS (fig 4)

Answer 22

One knee bent and other leg crossing it. Push crossed knee down
Meniscus pathology
+ve = symptoms reproduced over joint line

Question 23

Patellafemoral Position

Answer 23

Look at position of patella

+ve = different

Question 24

Quadrant Test

Answer 24

From flexion and adduction to flexion and abduction
Hip Pathology
+ve = any pain, crepitus, loss of ROM

Question 25

Modified Obers (Hip)

Answer 25

Side lying, affected side up. Bottom knee bent and hip extended. Extend and abduct hip, slowly adduct.
ITB tightness
+ve = if leg remains abducted and lateral knee pain

Question 26

Leg length; true and apparent

Answer 26

True = From ASIS to medial malleolus
Apparent = From umbilicus to medial malleolus

Question 27

HBB/HBN

Answer 27

Reach over shoulder and then round behind back. Compare
ROM
+ve = different on both sides

Question 28

Painful Arc

Answer 28

Abduction
Impingement (subacromial)
+ve = pain around during mid range

Question 29

Neer’s Test

Answer 29

One hand depresses scapula, other hand internally rooted arm, flex shoulder to end of range