Athletic Training & Sports Medicine Center

 

Examination Links:

  • Alphabetical Listing
    of Examinations
  • Head
    • Rhombterg
    • Neurological control
       - upper limb
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       - lower limb
    • Tandem Test
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    • 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
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    • Prone Posterior Instability 
      Test
    • Push Pull Test
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    • 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
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    • Gerber Lift-Off Test
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    • Adson Maneuver
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  • 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
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    • Sign of the Buttock
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    • 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

 

 Torsion Stress Test

Examination type Joint Stability
Patient & Body Segment Positioning Patient lies prone
Examiner Position The examiner places one thumb over the L5 spinous process.  The other hand grabs the anterior ilium of the the opposite side.
Tissues Being Tested Lumboscacral junction, iliolumbar ligaments, anterior sacroiliac ligaments, and the S-I joints.
Performing the Test Examiner takes the hand on the ilium and pulls the ilium up or posterior.  Then questions the patien about pain.
Positive Test

 + sign is pain in the anterior aspect of the pelvis, pain in the lower back, and pain in the S-I joints.

 

Interpretation

  Distinguishing what is hurting as the examiner does this test is very Important and also knowing which tissues being stressed. In this case it could be a S-I joint problem but, which one? Thats why the test needs to performed bilaterally and ask the patient "tell me where does it hurt" "Does hurt down in the S-I joint or does it feel like a stress on the ligaments." Or does it hurt in the lower back which could indicate a lumbar problem. These ideas should be in the examiners head in fining the interpretation of this test.

Common errors in performing exam   Common errors in performing this test would be wrong hand       placement and not stressing the joint enough to get the results that are desired.
Factors possibly resulting in misinterpretation The factors include not asking specifically where pain is so that is is unclear of the actual problem.  A tight rectus femoris might keep the ilium from moving the motion that it should. 
Related tests Specific Lumbar Spine Torsion Test
References

 Magee, David J. Orthopedic Physical Assessment 4th Ed. Saunders Company, New York 1997. (Pg 522)

Links:

 

MOUSE OVER PICTURE TO VIEW MOVIE