Physical examination of the knee

Oleh: dr. Feby Deliana

Pembimbing: dr. Deta Tanuwidjadja.,SpKFR

 Inspection
• Observe the patient’s gait
• Soft tissue swelling
• Inspect the symmetry of muscle
contours above the knee for any
visible muscular atrophy
Anterior view, standing
• note any malalignment/
deformity :Genu valgum
/varum
• Patella : should be symmetrical
and level
• Normally, the tibia has a slight
valgus angulation in comparison
to the femur.
Inspection : Lateral view

• Patella ( alta or baja )

 PALPATION
Bony prominence
1. Infrapatellar tendon
• Place your hands upon the
knee joint so that your
fingers curves around to the
posterior popliteal area
• Place your thumbs on
anterior portion of the
knee and press into the soft
tissue depressions on
either side of the
infrapatellar tendon
Palpation : Medial Aspect

2. Medial Tibia Plateau

• Push thumb inferiorly
into the soft tissue
depression until you
can feel sharp upper
edge of medial tibial
plateau
 Medial aspect

3. Tibial Tubercle
• Follow the infrapatellar
tendon distally to where
it insert into the tibial
tubercle
 Medial aspect
4. medial femoral condyle
• More palpable if the knee
flexed more than 90°
• The condyle is palpable
along its sharp medial
angle, proximally as far as
the superior portion of
the patella and distally to
the junction of the tibia
and femur
 Medial aspect
5. Adductor tubercle
• On medial surface of
the medial femoral
condyle and move
further posteriorly until
you locate the adductor
tubercle in the distal
end of the natural
depression between
vastus medialis and
hamstring muscle
 Lateral aspect
1. Lateral femoral
condyle
• Palpable laterally
onto the sharp
edge of the lateral
femoral condyle
 Lateral aspect
2. Head of fibula
• From lateral femoral
condyle, move your
thumb inferiorly and
posteriorly across the
joint line
 Soft tissue palpation
1. m. quadriceps femoris
• Vastus medial and lateral
form visible bulges on
medial and lateral sides of
the knee and easily
palpable
• Defect are most often
found distally in rectus
femoris or vastus
intermedius just proximal
to the patella
• Look for any sign of
atrophy
Soft tissue palpation
1. m. quadriceps femoris
• Measuring the
circumference of each
thigh about 3 inches
above knee
 Sof tissue palpation
2. Infrapatellar tendon
• Palpable to its insertion into the
tibial tubercle
• Tenderness is often here in
young individuals (Osgood-
Schlatter Syndrome)
• The infrapatellar fat pad lies
immediately posterior to the
infrapatellar tendon at the level
of joint line.
• Tenderness -> may be evidenced
of hypertrophy or contusion of
the fat pad.
 Soft tissue palpation
3. Medial meniscus
• Anterior margin of
the medial meniscus
itself just barely
palpable deep within
the joint space
• When the tibia is
internally rotate, its
medial edge becomes
more prominent and
palpable
 Soft tissue palpation
4. Medial collateral
ligament
• Relocate the medial
joint line.
• As you move
,medially and
posteriorly along the
joint line, the
ligament lies directly
under your fingertips
 Soft tissue palpation
5. Sartorius, gracilis, and
semitendinosus tendons
• To palpate, stabilize the
patient’s leg by holding it
securely with your own legs.
• Cup your finger around the
knee and feel the tautness of
the tendons
• Semitendinosus tendon is the
most posterior and inferior you
can feel; gracilis lies slightly
anterior and medial to the
semitendinosus
• Wide, thick band of the muscle
just above the gracilis tendon
is the sartorius
 Soft tissue palpation
6. Biceps femoris tendon
• Knee flexed, palpate
near its insertion
Soft tissue palpation

7. Iliotibial band
• Palpable to the point
where it insert to the
lateral tibial tubercle
 Soft tissue palpation
8. Common peroneal nerve
• Palpable where it crosses
the neck of the fibula
• Nerve can be rolled gently
between the tip of your
finger and neck of the
fibula, slightly inferior to the
insertion of the biceps
femoris muscle.
 Soft tissue palpation
10. Popliteal artery
• Because covered by the
fascia, the nerve and
the vein, it may be
difficult to feel the
popliteal pulse.
• Absence of this pulse
may be due to vascular
occlusive disease
 Soft tissue palpation
11. Popliteal fossa
• Swelling in the fossa
may indicate a popliteal
cyst, palpable when the
knee extended
 Test for joint stability
1. Medial collateral ligament
• Secure his ankle with one hand,
other hand around the knee so
that your thenar eminence is
against fibular head
• Push medially against the knee
and laterally against the ankle in
an attempt to open knee joint
on inside (valgus stress)
• palpate the medial joint line for
gapping
• When stressed of injured joint is
relieved, fell the tibia and femur
“clunk” together as they close
 Test for joint stability
2. Lateral collateral
ligament
• Push laterally against
the knee and medially
against the ankle to
open the knee joint on
lateral side (varus
stress)
 Test for joint stability
3. Cruciate ligament
• Cup your hands around
his knee, with your
fingers on the area of
insertion of the medial
and lateral hamstring
and yor thumbs on
medial and lateral joint
lines
• Draw the tibia toward
you. Positive -> it slides
forward from under the
femur
• Posterior cruciate
ligament -> conversely
TERIMA KASIH