Done By: Team Leader:: Rawan Altaleb Khulood Alraddadi
Done By: Team Leader:: Rawan Altaleb Khulood Alraddadi
Done By: Team Leader:: Rawan Altaleb Khulood Alraddadi
Objectives:
At the end of this you should be able to perform a good examination of the knee
joint, to distinguish and identify an abnormal finding that suggests pathology.
Helpful videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT1ZHVbpsuw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOplC9qMfrU
WIPE!
1. Wash hands
2. Introduction.
3. Permission.
4. Privacy.
5. Position of the patient: standing (to describe deformity and walking)
and supine position.
6. Exposure: both lower limbs from mid thighs down.
1
Orthopedics OSCE
Look (Inspection):
Alignment (Comment on knee alignment while standing
(varus/valgus and physiological valgus) varus can’t be normal.
Asymmetry?
Deformity:
-Coronal plane: varus and valgus deformities.
-Sagittal plane: extension and flexion deformities.
-Axial plane: rotational deformities (normally the resting
position is external rotation).
Muscle wasting (look for quadriceps wasting).
Skin changes (scars, swelling).
Varicose veins
Inspect the back of the knee (baker’s cyst).
Abnormal motion of the knees while walking and for ankle and foot
alignment and position.
Abnormal Gait (antalgic, waddling and trendelenberg).
Feel (Palpate):
Temperature (remember! With the dorsum of your
hand check and compare between the two limbs).
Tenderness:
o Bony tenderness (while the knee is flexed at 90
degree): palpate tibial tuberosity and femoral
condyles (proximal fibula, patella) looking for any
tenderness.
o Soft tissues: palpate medial and lateral menisci,quadriceps tendon and
patellar tendon, (Identify course of collateral ligaments) and comment if
tender.(you can’t palpate the cruciate ligaments)
o Palpate behind the knee for baker's cyst.
*Identify joint line in flexion of 80-90 degree and comment if tender (Suggestive
of arthritis or meniscal pathology).
2
Orthopedics OSCE
Move:
ROM (Range of motion) both actively and passively:
Extension (by the quadriceps femoris, which inserts into the tibial tuberosity)
Flexion (by the hamstrings, gracilis, sartorius and popliteus)
Lateral rotation (by the biceps femoris)
Medial rotation (by five muscles; semimembranosus, semitendinosus,
gracilis, sartorius and popliteus)
NB: Lateral and medial rotation can only occur when the knee is flexed.
Special Test
Knee effusion:
- Milking Test (for moderate effusion): In extension milk the knee medially
upwards to fill the suprapatellar pouch and hold fluid in pouch with one hand
then run other hand laterally downwards and look for filling medially.
- Patellar tap: (for large effusion) In extension tap the patella downward and
feel the paella bounce on the femur (empty the supra patella pouch by sliding
your left hand down the thigh to the patella and keep you hand there and
with the finger tip of your right hand press down and firmly over the patella).
If it is positive you don’t need milking test.
3
Orthopedics OSCE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=gfN-p-xZx24
4
Orthopedics OSCE
Starts in extension with relaxed quadriceps, push patella laterally, then passively
flex the knee to 30 degree, at any point if patient contracts his quadriceps
aggressively or becomes apprehended stop and identify test as positive.
Ankle: pathology may affect the knee, so a quick screening while supine is
required as follows:
- Move ankle passively in dorsal/plantar flexion and check for
limitation and pain. Check subtalar motion and comment if abnormal.
References:
http://teachmeanatomy.info/lower-limb/joints/the-knee-joint/
431 team work.
Student guide.
Proof AlHarbi notes.
Clinical skill knee examination list.