ORTHOPAEDIC EXAMINATION

This ORTHOPAEDIC EXAMINATION is not intended to be an exhaustive list of hundreds of tests, but rather to consider a few that interest me.

The goal of the physical exam in general is to detect abnormalities in the human body, and like the rest the orthpedic examination is a challenge to the clinician.

In the acute patient often a whole batch of orthopedic tests are positive leading to confusion in the mind of the inexperienced doctor. It is the recognition of a pattern of positive tests and signs that enables him to make the critical diagnosis.

No one sign or test, in isolation, is of absolute significance and must be read into the context of the whole patient. One swallow doesn't make a summer! A difficult to find Posterior Tibial pulse doesn't make for a claudication but, in the presence of leg pain, a negative Lasegue and Braggard, and pain on walking or cycling it may be hugely significant. Whether the patient is a smoker, or has high cholesterol also comes into the equation ...

Many tests have a huge subjective bias and may be difficult to reproduce and interpret. A positive Yeoman test in the presence of a Kemp Test may well be negative in regard the Sacroiliac joint. An Adson test may appear to be positive, but a slight change in the position of the arm may change the picture completely. And so on ... critical thinking and experience are the most vital tools in the examination.

Shoulder Abduction Relief (SAR) sign

This is not really an orthopaedic test of course, rather a sign, but an important one. This week a patient walked into our clinic with his hand on his head. One look, and I made the diagnosis ... SHOULDER ABDUCTION RELIEF sign ...



Faber test.

Missed, Femero Acetabular Impingement Syndrome leads inexorably onto a degenerative arthritic hip. Caught early, Chiropractors are saving thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of people with silent, progressive FAIS from a future hip orthotic.

But you won't find this subluxation of the hip if you don't look for it. Read more about


Femero Acetabular Impingement Syndrome FAIS.

Hip arthritis.



The Faber test (Flexion-Abduction-External-Rotation) is also an important orthopaedic test for the Sacro-iliac Joint. Sacroiliac joint anatomy.


Cervical compression Test

Not to be missed. This is GREAT FUN! CERVICAL COMPRESSION TEST ...




SLUMP test

The Slump 7 test is probably the ORTHOPAEDIC EXAMINATION test I use most often in my practice. On virtually every patient with low back and leg pain, still the majority of patients in the chiropractic clinic, I use the Slump test. But the interpretation of a positive Slump Test is ... Read more about Slump Test …



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JULLS test

It's been shown conclusively that CAD injuries cause weakened Neck Flexors. Perhaps this is related to the change in the cervical lordosis associated with whiplash. In any event Julls test has now become an important part of my orthopedic physical examination. Read more about Julls test for neck flexor strength …

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