Exam

Knee Anterior Drawer Test

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Knee Anterior Drawer Test, Knee Posterior Drawer Test

  • See Also
  1. Knee Exam
  2. Lachman Test
  3. Pivot Shift Test (MacIntosh Test)
  4. Lever Test
  • Indications
  1. Assessment for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture
  • Technique
  1. Patient supine
    1. Hips flexed to 45 degrees
    2. Knees flexed to 90 degrees
    3. Feet flat on table
  2. Examiner sits on patients feet to fix in place
    1. Hold lower leg above calf with both hands
    2. Apply sudden firm pull forward (Anterior Drawer)
    3. Apply sudden firm push back (Posterior Drawer)
  3. Consider repeating maneuver in three positions of tibial rotation
    1. Tibia with no rotation (neutral)
    2. Tibia with 30 degrees internally rotated
    3. Tibia with 30 degrees externally rotated
  4. Images
    1. orthoKneeAnteriorDrawer.jpg
  • Interpretation
  • Positive Test
  1. Normal test result shows no more than 6-8 mm of laxity
  2. Anterior Drawer: Endpoint laxity suggests Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture (ACL Rupture)
  3. Posterior Drawer: Endpoint laxity suggests Posterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture (PCL Rupture)