Athletic Training & Sports Medicine Center

 

Examination Links:

  • Alphabetical Listing
    of Examinations
  • Head
    • Rhombterg
    • Neurological control
       - upper limb
    • Neurological control
       - lower limb
    • Tandem Test
    • Finger-to-nose test
    • Finger-thumb test
    • Hand flip test
    • Finger drumming test
    • Hand-thigh test
    • Past pointing test
    • Heel-to-knee test
    • Proprioceptive Movement
       Test
    • Proprioceptive Space Test
  • Cervical Spine
    • Spurling's Test
    • Distraction
    • Quandrant
    • Tinels' Sign
  • Thoracic Spine
    • Sagittal Plane ROM Test
    • Frontal Plane ROM Test
    • Transverse Plane ROM Test
  • Lumbar Spine
    • Straight Leg Raise Test
    • Sciatic Nerve Palpation Test
    • Bowstring Test
    • Slump Test
  • Shoulder
    • Apley Scratch Test
    • Apprehension Test
    • Relocation Test
    • Anterior Instability Test
    • Anterior/Posterior Translation
       Test
    • Sulcus Sign
    • Posterior G-H Instability Test
    • Inferior Drawer (Feagin) Test
    • Neer Impingement Test
    • Hawkins Kennedy
      Impingement Test
    • Empty Can Test
    • Internal Rotation Strength
      Test
    • External Rotation Strength
      Test
    • Glenoid Labrum Clunk Test
    • Andrews Anterior Instability
      Test
    • Anterior Drawer
    • Posterior Drawer
    • Prone Posterior Instability 
      Test
    • Push Pull Test
    • Apprehension Test
    • Fulcrum test
    • Jerk Sign or Jahnke Test
    • Load & Shift Test
    • Acromioclavicular Joint
      Stability Test
    • Cross Chest 
      (Horizontal Adduction) Test
    • Sternoclavicular Joint 
      Integrity Test
    • Speed's Test
    • Gilcrest's Palm-Up test
    • Ludington's Test
    • Drop Arm Test
    • Drop Sign
    • External Rotation Lag Sign
    • Internal Rotation Lag Sign
    • Gerber Lift-Off Test
    • O'Brien Test
    • Yergason Test
    • Biceps Load Test I
    • Biceps Load Test II
    • Winging Scapula Test
    • Adson Maneuver
    • Allen Test
    • Roo's Test
    • Halstead's Test
  • Elbow & Radioulnar
    • Valgus Test 00
    • Valgus Test 300
    • Valgus Test 900
    • Miking Sig
    • Cross Arm Valgus
       Stress Test
    • Varus Test 00
    • Varus Test 300
    • Tinel Sign
    • Lateral Compression Test
    • Valgus Extension Overload
    • Cozen Test
    • Mills Test
    • Distal Radioulnar Instability 
      Test
  • Wrist
    • Finkelstein's Test
    • Anatomical Snuff Box
      Compression Test
    • Phalen's Test or Wrist Press 
      Test
    • Tinel Sign
  • Hand & Fingers
    • Murphy's Signr
    • Boutonniere Deformity Test
    • Mallet Finger Test
    • Flexor Digitorum Superficialis
       Test
    • Flexor Digitorum Profundus
       Test
    • Gamekeeper's Thumb Test
    • MCP Radial Collateral 
      Ligament Stress Test
    • MCP Ulnar Collateral 
      Ligament Stress Test
    • PIP Radial Collateral 
      Ligament Stress Test
    • PIP Ulnar Collateral 
      Ligament Stress Test
    • DIP Radial Collateral 
      Ligament Stress Test
    • DIP Ulnar Collateral 
      Ligament Stress Test
    • Bunnel-Littler Test
    • Retinacular Test
    • Allen Test
  • Sacroiliac Joint
    • Ipsilateral Prone Kinetic Test
    • FABER Test
    • Passive Extension & Internal 
      Rotation of Ilium on Sacrum
    • Passive Flexion & External 
      Rotation of Ilium on Sacrum
    • Passive External Rotation 
      of Hip
    • Pelvic Rocking Test
    • Gapping Test
    • Prone Gapping (Hibb's) Test
    • Approximation Test
    • Squish Test
      Sacroiliac Rocking Test
    • Sacral Apex Pressure Test
    • Torsion Stress Test
    • Femoral Shear Test
    • Superoinferior Symphysis
      Pubic Stress Test
    • Piedallu's Sign
    • Flamingo Maneuver or Test
    • Gaenslen's Sign
    • Mazion's Pelvic Maneuver
    • Yeoman's Test
    • Sit-up Test
  • Hip & Thigh
    • Scouring (Quandrant) Test
    • FABER Test
    • Trendelenburg Test
    • Craig's Test
    • Torque Test
    • Stinchfield Test
    • Thomas Test
    • Ober Test
    • Pirifomis Test
    • Sign of the Buttock
    • Ely's Test
    • Hamstring Contracture Test 1
    • Tripod Test
    • 90-90 Straight Leg Test
    • Phelp's Test
  • Knee
    • Gravity Sign
    • Active Posterior/Anterior 
      Drawer Test
    • Posterolateral Drawer Test
    • Lachman
      • Tradiional
      • Thigh Assisted
      • Drop Leg
      • Table Side
      • Table End
      • Prone
      • Active
    • Posterolateral Drawer Test
    • Figure 4 Palpation
    • McMurray's Test
    • Apley's Grind Test
    • Lateral Compression Test
    • Medial Compression Test
    • Jerk Test of Hughston
    • Pivot Shift Test
    • External Rotation 
      Recurvatum Test
    •  
  • Lower Leg
  • Ankle
  • Foot
    • Morton Test
    •  
  • Range of Motion
  • Goniometry
  • Manual Muscle Testing
  • Reflexes
  • Vital Signs
  • Body Composition

 

Jerk Test

Examination type Ligamnetous
Patient & Body Segment Positioning Patient is spuine with hip at 45 degrees of flexion, and the knee at 80 to 90 degrees of flexion.
Examiner Position

Standing on the side of the patient; with one hand on the patients heel and the other on the lateral aspect of the knee.

 
Tissues Being Tested ACL
Positive Test Positive test is when a jerk is felt and patient has apprehension or pain.
Interpretation This indicates a torn ACL
Common errors in performing exam Wrong hand placement, starting in wrong position, not applying enough stress or rotary force. 
Factors possibly resulting in misinterpretation A torn MCL might make the jerk larger than normal to watch for that injury as well.  Make sure to check bilaterally because that shift maybe normal for them.
Related tests Pivot shift,  Anterior drawer, Lachman
References  
Links: What the Results Suggest

How the Test is Performed

DESCRIPTION OF TEST BEING PERFORMED

The tests starts with knee at 90 degrees of flexion, then the examiner applies medial rotation and valgus stress.  At 20 or 30 degrees the lateral tibia plateau will sublux causing a jerk.  Then as leg goes further into extension the subluxation will reduce.  The feel of this jerk indicates a positive test.

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