Knee examination in 8 minutes

Key points

1. Look for alignment, swelling, wasting of the quadriceps and scars.
2. Feel for an effusion (patellar tap or sweep test) and joint-line tenderness.
3. Lachman test is the most sensitive clinical test for an anterior cruciate ligament tear.
4. Posterior sag and posterior drawer test the posterior cruciate ligament.
5. Valgus and varus stress at 30° flexion isolate the collateral ligaments.

The recorded lesson is in production. The preview plays the key points; the outline is below.

Lesson outline

1. 00:00 Introduction and exposure
2. 00:45 Look: standing and lying
3. 02:00 Feel: effusion and tenderness
4. 03:15 Move: active and passive range
5. 04:15 Cruciate ligaments
6. 05:45 Collateral ligaments
7. 06:30 Menisci
8. 07:20 Patellofemoral joint and summary