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
    • 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

 

Gravity Sign (Godfrey 90/90 Test)
Examination type

Ligamentous Stability Test

 
Patient & Body Segment Positioning

The patient lies supine on a table with both the knee and hip of the involved side flexed to 90 degrees.      

 
Examiner Position The examiner should position themselves to the side of the patient at eye level with the knee so that they are able to observe if there is any posterior sag.  The examiner holds on to the patients toes with one hand.
Tissues Being Tested  Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL)  
Performing the Test  The examiner passively holds the patients toes and notes the position of the patients tibia.  The examiner should note if the patient has any difference in the position the tibia is sitting bilaterally.     
Positive Test The recognition of one tibia resting more inferiorly than the contralateral side may indicate a posterior sag or instability. This may be related to the posterior cruciate ligament.
Interpretation A positive test is present when there is a tear in the posterior cruciate ligament causing posterior knee instability.
Common errors in performing exam The tibia must be maintained in neutral rotation and the test must be done bilaterally.  The test must be done passively so the that muscle contractions of the leg do not pull the tibia into a different position.
Factors possibly resulting in misinterpretation If the tibia is not maintained in neutral rotation then a positive finding may be a result of a capsular extensibility instead of a posterior cruciate ligament tear.
Related tests

Posterior Sag Test (Gravity Drawer Test)

Reverse Pivot Shift (Jakob Test)

Posterior Drawer Test

Hughston Posteromedial Drawer Test

Hughston Posterolateral Drawer Test

Posterior Lachman’s Test

External Rotation Recurvatum Test 
References

Brader, Holly, Isear, Jerome, Konin, Jeff, & Wisten, Denise    

     (2002). Special Test for Orthopedic Examination (2nd ed.).

     Thorofare: SLACK Inc.

Magee, David (2002). Orthopedic Physical       

     Assessment. Philadelphia: Saunders.      

Prentice, William E. (2003). Arnheim’s Principles of Athletic

     Training: A Competency-Based Approach (11th ed.).  St. Louis:     

     McGraw Hill.

 
Links:

http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/1997/11nov/morgan.htm

http://www.emedicine.com/SPORTS/fulltopic/topic105.htm

http://www.maitrise-orthop.com/corpusmaitri/orthopaedic/mo56_knee_joint/knee_joint.shtml

http://www.athleticadvisor.com/Injuries/LE/Knee/pcl_injuries.htm

http://www.emedx.com/emedx/diagnosis_information/knee_disorders/posterior_cruciate_ligament_tear_outline.htm

 
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