Musculoskeletal Physical Exam
The physical exams are separated by anatomy and pathology. Based on the clinical presentation, the appropriate tests should be selected. This includes but is not limited to inspection, palpation, active/passive/resisted range of motion, neurovascular examination and specific provocative tests.
Check out the resources below!
COMMON TO ALL JOINTS
Neurovascular Examination
GENERAL EXAMINATION
Shoulder
Knee
Spine
Hip
Hand/ Wrist
Foot & Ankle
ROTATOR CUFF PATHOLOGY
Jobe’s Test
Supraspinatus Pathology
Internal Rotation Lag
Subscapularis Pathology
Drop Arm Sign
Full Thickness Rotator Cuff Tear
External Rotation Lag
Infraspinatus Pathology
Drop Arm Sign
Full Thickness Rotator Cuff Tear
Lift-off Test
Subscapularis pathology
Hornblower Sign
Teres Minor Pathology
Special Tests
IMPINGEMENT
Neer Impingement Sign
Drop Arm Sign
Full Thickness Rotator Cuff Tear
Hawkins Kennedy
Special Tests
ACROMIOCLAVICULAR JOINT PATHOLOGY
Scarf Test
Drop Arm Sign
Full Thickness Rotator Cuff Tear
Special Tests
LABRAL TEAR
O’Brien Test - SLAP Lesion
Drop Arm Sign
Full Thickness Rotator Cuff Tear
Crank Test
Special Tests
GLENOHUMERAL JOINT PATHOLOGY
Apprehension & Relocation Tests
Anterior Instability
Load & Shift
Anterior/ Posterior instability
Drop Arm Sign
Full Thickness Rotator Cuff Tear
Sulcus Sign
Multidirectional Instability
Special Tests
PALPATION
Grind Test
Drop Arm Sign
Full Thickness Rotator Cuff Tear
Finkelstein’s Test
Special Tests - Hand/ Wrist
STABILITY ASSESMENT
Scaphoid Shift Test
Scapholunate Ligament Tear/Instability
Lunotriquetral Ballottement
Lunotriquetral Ligament Tear/Instability
Ulnar Grinding Test
TFCC Lesions & Ulnar-Carpal Impingement
Drop Arm Sign
Full Thickness Rotator Cuff Tear
Midcarpal Test
Midcarpal Instability
Thumb Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) Stress Test
A.K.A. Gamekeeper’s or Skier’s thumb
Special Tests - Hands/ Wrist
RANGE OF MOTION
Flexor Profundus & Flexor Sublimus
Drop Arm Sign
Full Thickness Rotator Cuff Tear
Bunnel’s Test
Special Tests - Hand/ Wrist
NERVE ASSESMENT
Tinel Sign
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Phalen’s Test
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Wartenberg’s sign
Ulnar Nerve Motor Weakness
Drop Arm Sign
Full Thickness Rotator Cuff Tear
Froment’s Sign
Ulnar Nerve Motor Weakness
Jeanne's Sign
Ulnar Nerve Motor Weakness