Test

Apleys scratch

Checks for
Asymmetry
ROM

Positive if
Asymmetry
ROM

Notes

Supraspinatus
Empty can

Supraspinatus
injury

Pain

Resisted
abduction

Supraspinatus
injury

Pain

Hawkins test

Supraspinatus
impingement

Pain

Passive
Make a hawk
wing

Neers test

Supraspinatus
impingement

Pain

Passive
Arm near head

Resisted
external
rotation

Infraspinatus
& teres minor
injury

Pain

Picture

Test
Lift off test

Checks for
Subscapularis
injury

Positive if
Inability to
move arm
from small of
back upwards

Notes

Crossover

AC joint

Pain

Passive

Speeds test

Biceps
tendinitis

Pain in
bicipital
groove

Active; patient
extends elbow,
supinates
forearm, and
flexes shoulder
against
resistance

Yergasons test

Biceps
tendinitis

Pain in
bicipital
groove

Active; provider
resists patients
supination/bicep
flexion
simultaneously

Sulcus

Anterior
shoulder
instability

Instability,
shoulder pulls
down

Passive

Picture

Test
Apprehension
and relocation

Checks for
GHJ stability

Positive if

Anterior slide
Clunk

Labral tear

Shoulder pain
or pop

Patient resists
provider pushing
up on elbow

OBrien test

Labral tear

Pain or pop
Oh Brian!
Your labrum
is torn!

Patient resists
horizontal
adduction and
forward flexion
of shoulder

Crank

Labral tear

Pain, pop,
catching,
grinding

Internal and
external rotation
with gentle axial
load

Scapular
winging

Injury to
serratus
anterior/long
thoracic nerve

Winging of
scapula

Spurlings
maneuver

Brachial
plexus injury
(burner or
stinger)

Pain with
position or
pain with
applied
pressure

Patient extends
neck, rotates,
and laterally
bends while
provider applies
downward
pressure

Adsons test

Thoracic outlet
syndrome
causing artery
compression

Loss of radial
pulse in arm

Pt turns head to
affected side and
breathes in while
provider feels
radial pulse

Patient grimace
upon external
rotation, with
relief on provider
pressing joint
back down

Notes
Passive

Picture

Test
Roos test

Checks for
Thoracic outlet
syndrome

Positive if
Reproduction
of symptoms

Resisted
extension &
supination

Lateral
epicondylitis

Pain over
lateral
epicondyle

Notes
Pt repeatedly
clenches and
unclenches the
fists while
keeping the arms
abducted and
externally
rotated
Resisted wrist
extension and
supination

Resisted flexion
& pronation

Medial
epicondylitis

Pain over
medial
epicondyle

Resisted wrist
flexion and
pronation

Finkelsteins
test

DeQuervains
tenosynovitis

Pain along
distal radius

Tinels sign

Carpal tunnel

Tingling or
pain in
median nerve
distribution
(thumb, 2nd &
3rd digits)

Phalens test

Carpal tunnel

Numbness or
tingling over
median nerve
distribution

Flexion of wrists
60-90 secs

Durkans

Carpal tunnel (
more sensitive
and specific
than Tinels or
Phalens)

Numbness or
tingling over
median nerve
distribution

Pressure over
carpal tunnel for
30 secs

Picture

*All extensors originate@ lateral epicondyle

*All flexors originate @ medial epicondyle

Test
Watson test

Checks for
Scapholunate
dissociation

Positive if
Clunk + pain

Compression
test

CMC
osteoarthritis

Grind test

CMC
osteoarthritis

Straight leg
raise

Radicular
cause of pain
in back of leg

Pain,
increased pain
when you also
dorsiflex the
foot
(Bragards
test)

FABER =
flexion,
abduction,
external
rotation
n

Differentiate
SI joint pain
from other hip
pain

Pain = SI joint
pain

Schobers test

Ankylosing
spondylitis

< 5-7 cm
movement

Notes
Patient ulnar and
radial deviates
while provider
applies pressure
to scaphoid

Picture

Provider moves
CMC joint with
longitudinal load
applied
Provider grabs
metacarpal base
and rotates the
thumb

Passive; straight
leg flexion of
hip

Examiner marks
L5, 5cm below,
10 cm above, pt
bends forward to
touch toes,
difference from
15 cm measured

Confirmation tests:
1.) Bragards: increased pain when you dorsiflex
the foot after flexion
2.) Crossed straight leg raise: raising contralateral
leg causes radicular pain on ipsilateral leg
3.) Distracted straight leg raise (FLIP): sneak the
same test in but with the patient seated to confirm
rxn

Test
BarlowOrtolani
maneuver

Checks for
Hip dysplasia
in infants

Positive if
Clunk heard
or felt (+
Barlow),
relocation
clunk (+
Ortolani)

Notes

Thomas test

Hip flexor
tightness

Abnormal
degree of hip
flexion with
leg at rest
(lower
picture)

UNAFFECTED
knee to chest

Trendelenberg
sign

Weak hip
abductors
(gluteus
medius)

Sinking of
pelvis

Unaffected leg
rises

Medial/lateral
patellar glide

Laxity of
patellofemoral
joint/patellar
dislocation

Hypermobility
of patella

Patellar
apprehension

Instability of
patellofemoral
joint/patellar
dislocation
Patellofemoral
syndrome

Grimace

Inhibition test

Picture

Same as above but with lateral motion

Pain or
crepitus

Provider
squeezes top of
patella and
displaces it
inferiorly

Test
Q angle

Checks for
Measures knee
valgus

Positive if
Greater or less
than 20

J tracking

Patellofemoral
syndrome

Patella
displaced

Valgus stress

MCL damage

No opening +
pain (I),
opening with
endpoint (II),
no endpoint
(III)
Same as
above

Varus stress

LCL damage

Lachman

ACL
instabilitygold standard!

Abnormal
forward
mobility

Anterior drawer
test

ACL
instability

Abnormal
forward
mobility

Notes

Picture

Pt knee in 2030 of flexion

Opposite direction of picture below
Trying to open the medial joint line

Pt knee in 2030 of flexion

Trying to open the lateral joint line

*Beware of false
+ with PCL tear!

Test
Pivot shift

Checks for
ACL
instability

Positive if
Feel clunking
of tibia when
moving into
extension

Posterior
drawer test

PCL instability

Abnormal
downward
mobility

Sag sign

PCL tear

Depression on
anterior knee

Quad active test

PCL tear

Depression on
anterior knee
with quad
flexion

Dial test @ 30
of flexion

PCL

Abnormal
motion of
tibial tubercle

McMurray test

Meniscus tear

Click or catch

Notes

For medial:
external rotation
+ flexion +
valgus stress
For lateral:
internal rotation
+ extension +
varus stress

Picture

Test
Apley grind
with distraction

Checks for
Meniscus tear

Positive if
Pain with
grind, NO
pain with
distraction
(pain with
both suggests
ligament
injury)
Leg remains
elevated

Notes
Grind- push
down on foot
and rotate back
and forth.
Distraction- do
the same but
push down on
thigh as well.

Obers test

ITB tightness

Nobles test

ITB syndrome

Pain

Pt repeatedly
flexes and
extends knee
under providers
thumb @ ITB

Ballottement
test

Major effusion
in knee joint

Fluid felt

Bulge sign

Minor effusion
in knee joint

Fluid felt

Squeeze fluid
down from
above knee and
feel on either
side of patella
for fluid
Squeeze fluid up
medially, then
tap laterally and
watch for medial
bulge

Anterior drawer
test

Laxity of
anterior
talofibular
ligament

Increased
movement or
sulcus sign

Talar tilt

Laxity of
calcaneofibular
ligament/sprain

Increased
movement or
pain

Picture

Test
Thompson test

Checks for
Achilles
rupture

Positive if
No movement
of foot with
gastroc
squeeze

Notes

Squeeze test for

fx

Fracture of
tibia or fibula

Squeeze up and
down leg in
several places

Squeeze test for

tear

Anterior
tibiofibular
ligament tear
or syndesmosis
tear
Anterior
tibiofibular
ligament tear

Pain upon
release of
squeeze in an
area that is
NOT being
squeezed
Pain upon
release of
squeeze

External
rotation test

Pain

Squeeze just
above anterior
talofibular
ligament

Picture