ANKLE
Anterior Drawer – anterior talofibular ligament
Positive Sign – pain, laxity
Talar Tilt – calcaneofibular ligament; deltoid ligament
Positive Sign – pain, laxity
Kleiger – deltoid ligament
Positive Sign – medial and lateral pain, displaced talus
Thompson’s Test – Achilles tendon rupture
Positive Sign – no plantar flexion
Swing Test – posterior tibiotalar subluxation
Positive Sign – resistance to normal dorsiflexion
Tinel’s Sign – deep peroneal nerve; posterior tibial nerve
Positive Sign – no tingling and paraseizure
Morton’s Test – Morton’s neuroma
Positive Sign – pain between 3 rd and 4 th metatarsals
Homan’s Sign – deep vein thrombophlebitis (calf)
Positive Sign – pain in calf with passive dorsiflexion of ankle and knee
extended; pain with palpation of calf
KNEE
LIGAMENT TESTS
Valgus – lateral collateral ligament
Positive Sign – pain, laxity
Varus – medial collateral ligament
Positive Sign – pain, laxity
Posterior Drawer – posterior cruciate ligament
Positive Sign – pain, laxity
Anterior Drawer – anterior cruciate ligament
Positive Sign – pain, laxity
Lachman – anterior cruciate ligament
Positive Sign – pain, laxity
Slocum – anterior cruciate ligament
Positive Sign – pain, laxity
Hughston – posterior cruciate ligament
Positive Sign – pain, laxity
MENISCUS TESTS
Apley Compression – meniscus lesion
Positive Sign – pain,
Apley Distraction – ligament lesion
Positive Sign – pain,
Squat – medial (internal rotation); lateral (external rotation)
Positive Sign – pain,
McMurray – medial (varus/internal rotation); lateral (valgus/ external
rotation)
Positive Sign – pain,
OTHER TESTS
“Q” Angle – patella tracking; dislocation
Apprehension – patellar dislocation
Positive Sign – contraction of quadriceps muscles
Femoral Grinding –
Waldron – condralmalaysia
Positive Sign – grinding of patella while extending leg
Noble Compression Test – IT band
Positive Sign – decreased pain
Wilson Test – osteochondritis dissecans
Positive Sign – decreased pain
Thigh Contusion –
HIP
MORE THAN ONE AREA
Straight Leg Raise – hip joint pathology (single); SI joint pathology
(bilateral); tight hamstrings
Positive Sign –
Patrick’s Test Positive
Sign –
Periformis Syndrome Test – periformis tightness (periformis); sciatica
(buttock)
Positive Sign – pain in periformis or buttock
Sign Of The Buttock – lumbar, sciatic, or hamstring (negative); bursitis,
tumor, or abscess in buttock (positive)
Positive Sign – no increased flexion
Trendelenburg – gluteus medius
Positive Sign – pain in Symphysis pubis or SI joint
Flamingo – Symphysis pubis or SI
Positive Sign – pain in Symphysis pubis or SI joint
Gaenslen’s Test – ipsilateral SI joint lesion; hip; L4
Positive Sign – pain
SI JOINT
Ipsilateral Prone Kinetic Test – ilium flexion and rotation
Positive Sign – no movement
Piedallu’s Sign – hypomobile SI
Positive Sign – lower side becomes higher side
Gillet’s – hypomobile SI
Positive Sign – affected side moves little or up
HIP
Ober – IT band tightness
Positive Sign – leg doesn’t drop to the table, pain on trochanter
Trochanteric Bursitis –
Positive Sign – pain on palpation, hip flexion and adduction while
weight bearing
Iliopsoas Bursitis – anterior groin pain
Positive Sign – pain on hip flexion
Thomas – rectus femoris
Positive Sign – extended leg flexes at knee;
Craig’s Test – internal/external rotation of hip
Positive Sign –
Torque Test – hip capsular ligament integrity
Positive Sign –
OTHERS
Leg Length Discrepancy
Torsion tibial
or femoral (cause of discrepancy)
SPINE
CERVICAL
Foraminal Compression (Spurling’s) – cervical radiculitis/nerve root
pressure
Positive Sign – pain on side head towards; pain on opposite side is
muscle spasm
Distraction Test – nerve root pressure
Positive Sign – decreased pain
Upper Limb Tension Test – brachial plexus
Positive Sign – minimal or no symptoms
Adson Maneuver – thoracic outlet syndrome
Positive Sign – disappearance of pulse
Allen Test –
Positive Sign – disappearance of pulse
Halstead Maneuver –
Positive Sign – disappearance of pulse
Shoulder Abduction Test – herniated disc, epidural vein, and nerve root
compression
Positive Sign – decrease or relief of symptoms
Valsalva Test – herniated disc or tumor
Positive Sign – increased pain
Romberg’s Test – upper motor neuron lesion
Positive Sign – excessive sway or loss of balance
Vertebral Artery Test (Cervical Quadrant) – vertebral artery
compression
Positive Sign – dizziness and nystagmus
LUMBAR
Straight Leg Raise – spaceoccupying
lesion
Positive Sign – radiating pain; pain on opposite side (unilateral
raise)
Prone Knee Bending – L2 or L3 nerve root lesion (posterior & lumbar);
tight quad or stretched femoral nerve (anterior thigh)
Positive Sign – pain in posterior and lumbar area; pain in anterior
thigh
Slump Test – neuromenengeal tract tension
Positive Sign – knee extends further with release of cervical,
symptoms decrease; or increase in symptoms
BrudzinskiKernig
Test – menengeal irritation
Positive Sign – neck and back discomfort
Valsalva – see cervical
Positive Sign –increased pain
Bowstring Test – sciatic nerve pressure or tension
Positive Sign – symptoms reestablished
Babinski Test – upper motor neuron lesion
Positive Sign – extension of big toe and abduction of the others
Beevor’s Sign – abdominal muscle dysfunction
Positive Sign – umbilicus not in straight line
Positive Sign – patient can’t lift leg or examiner feels no pressure
from opposite leg
SHOULDER
ANTERIOR INSTABILITY
Load and Shift Test –
Positive Sign – pain, laxity, reproduction of symptoms
Crank –
Positive Sign – apprehension, resistance to further motion, feeling
experienced when previously dislocated
Fulcrum –
Positive Sign – apprehension
Anterior Drawer –
Positive Sign – clicking, apprehension
POSTERIOR INSTABILITY
Load and Shift Test –
Positive Sign – pain, laxity, reproduction of symptoms
Posterior Apprehension Test –
Positive Sign – apprehension, resistance to further motion,
reproduction of symptoms
PushPull
Test –
Positive Sign – apprehension, greater than 50% posterior
translation
INFERIOR INSTABILITY
Sulcus Sign –
Positive Sign – measurement acromion to humeral head greater
than 1 cm
Feagin Test –
Positive Sign – apprehension
LABRAL LESIONS (TEARS)
Clunk Test –
Positive Sign – clunk, grinding sound
Anterior Slide –
Positive Sign – popping or cracking, anterosuperior pain
Compression Rotation Test – bankhart or SLAP lesion
Positive Sign – snapping or catching
SCAPULAR STABILITY
Lateral Scapular Slide Test –
Positive Sign –
ACROMIOCLAVICULAR SEPARATION/SPRAIN
Acromioclavicular Shear Test –
Positive Sign – pain or abnormal movement of AC joint
Scratch and Pull Test –
Positive Sign – pain, apprehension
MUSCLE TENDON PATHOLOGY
Speed’s Test – biceps tendon
Positive Sign – increased tenderness in the bicipital groove
(tendonitis); profound weakness (2 nd or 3 rd degree strain)
Yeargason’s Test – biceps tendon
Positive Sign – tenderness in the bicipital groove (may pop out)
Empty Can Test – supraspinatus
Positive Sign – pain, weakness
Drop Arm Test (Codman’s) – rotator cuff complex tear
Positive Sign – unable to return arms to side smoothly or slowly,
severe pain
Liftoff
Sign – subscapularis
Positive Sign – inability to lift hand away from back
IMPINGEMENT
Neer Test – supraspinatus and/or biceps tendon overuse
Positive Sign – pain
HawkinsKennedy
Test –
Positive Sign – pain
Impingement Test –
Positive Sign – pain in anterior or posterior shoulder or both and
indicates a grade II or III shoulder lesion
NEUROLOGICAL TESTS
Brachial Plexus Tension Test – stretch of brachial plexus
Positive Sign – minimal or no symptoms
Tinel’s Sign –
Positive Sign – no tingling or paraseizure
THORACIC OUTLET SYNDROME
Roos Test –
Positive Sign –
Costoclavicular Syndrome Test –
Positive Sign –
WRIST
LIGAMENTS, CAPSULES, AND JOINT INSTABILITY
Ligamentous Instability For The Fingers – collateral ligaments
Positive Sign –
Thumb Ulnar Collateral Ligament Laxity or Instability Test –
Positive Sign – valgus > 35°
Murphy’s Sign – lunate dislocation; level of 3 rd metacarpal head
Positive Sign –
Watson Test (Scaphoid Shift) – instability of scaphoid and lunate bones
Positive Sign – pain on radial deviation
Piano Keys Test – instability of distal radioulnar joint
Positive Sign – mobility and pain on ulnar depression
Axial Load – metacarpal or carpal fracture or joint arthrosis
Positive Sign –
TENDONS AND MUSCLES
Finkelstein Test – tenosynovitis of abductor pollicis longus and extensor
pollicis brevis tendons
Positive Sign – pain over the tendons
Sweater Finger Sign – digitorum profundus tendon rupture
Positive Sign – distal phalanx of finger won’t flex
Extensor Hood Rupture –
Positive Sign – inability to extend interphalangeal joint while DIP
is extending
BunnelLittler
Test – tight intrinsic muscle or contracture of joint capsule
Positive Sign –
NEUROLOGICAL DYSFUNCTION
Tinel’s Sign – carpal tunnel syndrome
Positive Sign – tingling in median nerve
Phalan’s Test – carpal tunnel syndrome (median nerve)
Positive Sign – tingling in median nerve
Carpal Compression Test – carpal tunnel syndrome
Positive Sign –
Forment’s Sign – ulnar nerve paralysis
Positive Sign – flexion of IP joint of thumb and/or hyperextension
of MCP joint
Weber’s TwoPoint
Discrimination Test (Moberg’s) –
Positive Sign –
CIRCULATION AND SWELLING
Allen Test –
Positive Sign –
Digital Blood Flow –
Positive Sign – nail bed doesn’t return to normal color within 3
seconds
