Physical Examination

Physical examination findings and test used in orthopaedics and musculoskeletal medicine

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• Physical Examination
  • Physical Examination of the Elbow
    • Elbow Physical Exam Tests
      • Elbow extention
      • Elbow flexion
      • Forearm pronation
      • Forearm supination
    • Elbow Range of Motion
    • Elbow Surface Anatomy
      • Biceps in the antecubital fossa Surface Anatomy
      • Lateral epicondyle of humerus Surface Anatomy
      • medial epicondyle of humerus Surface Anatomy
      • Olecranon bursa Surface Anatomy
      • Radial humeral joint Surface Anatomy
      • Radial tunnel Surface Anatomy
      • Triceps insertion Surface Anatomy
  • Physical Examination of the Foot and Ankle
    • Foot and Ankle Range of Motion
      • Ankle Dorsiflexion Passive
      • Ankle plantar flexion Passive
      • First interphalangeal joint passive range of motion
      • First metatarsophalangeal joint passive range of motion
      • Forefoot abduction and adduction Passive
      • Lesser toe joints passive range of motion
      • Subtalar Joint Passive Range of Motion
      • Tibio-talar joint Passive
    • Foot and Ankle Surface Anatomy
      • Anterior talofibular ligament Surface Anatomy
      • Calcaneo fibular ligament Surface Anatomy
      • Deltoid ligament Surface Anatomy
      • Sesamoid bones Surface Anatomy
      • Tarsal Navicular Surface Anatomy
      • The Achilles tendon Surface Anatomy
      • The base of the fifth metatarsal Surface Anatomy
      • The calcaneal tuberosity Surface Anatomy
      • The dorsalis pedis artery Surface Anatomy
      • The extensor digitorum longus Surface Anatomy
      • The extensor hallucis longus Surface Anatomy
      • The first metatarsal head Surface Anatomy
      • The first metatarsophalangeal joint Surface Anatomy
      • The interphalangeal joints Surface Anatomy
      • The lateral malleolus Surface Anatomy
      • The lesser metatarsal heads Surface Anatomy
      • The lesser metatarsal phalangeal joints Surface Anatomy
      • The lesser toes Surface Anatomy
      • The medial longitudinal arch Surface Anatomy
      • The medial malleolus Surface Anatomy
      • The nail fold (including the lunula) Surface Anatomy
      • The plantar fat pad Surface Anatomy
      • The retrocalcaneal bursa Surface Anatomy
      • The sinus tarsi Surface Anatomy
      • The syndesmosis Surface Anatomy
      • The Tarsal Tunnel Surface Anatomy
      • The tarsometatarsal joint Surface Anatomy
      • The tibialis anterior Surface Anatomy
      • The tibiotalar joint Surface Anatomy
      • The toenail Surface Anatomy
    • Foot and Ankle Physical Exam Tests
      • Active ankle eversion
      • Active ankle inversion
      • Ankle anterior drawer
      • Ankle plantar flexion
      • Coleman lateral block test
      • Dorsiflexion of the ankle
      • Dorsiflexion of the great toe (active)
      • Single-heel rise test
      • Thompson test
  • Physical Examination of the Hand and Wrist
    • Hand and Wrist Physical Exam Tests
      • Finkelstein’s test
      • Watson test
    • Hand and Wrist Range of Motion
    • Hand and Wrist Surface Anatomy
      • Anatomic snuffbox Surface Anatomy
      • Radial styloid Surface Anatomy
  • Physical Examination of the Hip and Thigh
    • Hip and Thigh Physical Exam Tests
      • Alternative to Thomas test in bilateral FFD
      • Bryant’s triangle
      • Lasègue’s sign
      • Patrick’s test
      • Telescopy
      • Thomas test
      • Trendelenburg’s sign
      • Vascular sign of Narath
    • Hip and Thigh Range of Motion
    • Hip and Thigh Surface Anatomy
      • Greater Trochanter Surface Anatomy
  • Physical Examination of the Knee and Leg
    • Knee and Leg Physical Exam Tests
      • Anterior drawer test of the knee
      • Knee effusion test
      • Knee extension assessment
      • Knee flexion assessment
      • Lachman test of the knee
      • Pivot shift test of the knee
      • Posterior drawer test of the knee
      • Posterior sag test of the knee
      • Quadriceps active test
      • Valgus stress test of the knee
      • Varus stress test of the knee
    • Knee and Leg Range of Motion
    • Knee and Leg Surface Anatomy
  • Physical Examination of the Neck
    • Neck Physical Exam Tests
      • Active range of motion of the neck
      • Biceps Tendon Reflex (C5)
      • Brachioradialis Reflex (C6)
      • C-5 Motor–Biceps
      • C-5 Motor–Deltoid Muscle
      • C-6 Motor–Radial Wrist Extensors
      • C-7 Motor–Flexor Carpi Radialis
      • C-7 Motor–Triceps
      • C-8 Motor–Flexor Digitorum Superficialis
      • Cervical Neck Distaction Test
      • Cervical Radiculopathy Clinical Prediciton Rule
      • Cervical Spurling A test
      • Long Thoracic Nerve Motor
      • Spinal Accessory Nerve Motor
      • T-1 Motor–First Dorsal Interossei
      • Triceps Reflex (C7)
    • Neck Range of Motion
      • Neck extension Passive
      • Neck flexion Passive
      • Neck Lateral Bending Passive
      • Neck Rotation Passive
    • Neck Surface Anatomy
      • C-4 Sensory Dermatome Surface Anatomy
      • C-5 Sensory Dermatome Surface Anatomy
      • C-6 Sensory Dermatome Surface Anatomy
      • C-7 Sensory Dermatome Surface Anatomy
      • C-8 Sensory Dermatome Surface Anatomy
      • Cervical Spinous Processes Surface Anatomy
      • Hyoid Cartilage Surface Anatomy
      • Occipital Protuberance Surface Anatomy
      • Sternocleidomastoid Surface Anatomy
      • T-1 Sensory Dermatome Surface Anatomy
      • Trapezius Surface Anatomy
      • Vertebra prominens Surface Anatomy
      • Axial Compression Test
  • Physical Examination of the Peripheral Nerves
    • Peripheral Nerve Physical Exam Tests
      • Anterior interosseous nerve motor
      • Axillary nerve motor
      • Median Nerve Motor
      • Musculocutaneous nerve motor
      • Posterior interosseous nerve motor
      • Radial nerve motor
      • Ulnar nerve motor
    • Peripheral Nerve Surface Anatomy
  • Physical Examination of the Shoulder
    • Shoulder Range of Motion
      • Gleno-humeral joint Passive
    • Shoulder Surface Anatomy
    • Shoulder Pain Differential Diagnosis
    • Shoulder Physical Exam Tests
      • Shoulder abduction assessment
      • Shoulder deltoid assessment
      • Shoulder elevation assessment
      • Shoulder external rotation assessment
      • Shoulder internal rotation assessment
      • Shoulder posterior cuff assessment
      • Shoulder posterior tightness assessment
      • Shoulder scapular stabilizers assessment
      • Shoulder supraspinatus assessment
  • Physical Examination of the Spine and Pelvis
    • Spine and Pelvis Physical Exam Tests
      • L-1 Motor
      • L-2 Motor
      • L-3 Motor
      • L-4 Motor
      • L-5 Motor
      • S-1 Motor
      • L5 Motor Additional Tests
      • Knee extension (L-4 Motor)
      • Patellar reflex (L-4 Motor)
      • Rise from Squat (L-4 Motor)
    • Spine and Pelvis Range of Motion
    • Spine and Pelvis Surface Anatomy
  • Special Features of the Pediatric Examination
    • Barlow test
    • Ortolani’s sign
  • Wigns