Athletic Training & Sports Medicine Center

  
 

Examination Links:

  • Alphabetical Listing
of Examinations
  • Head
  • Cervical Spine
    • Spurling's Test
    • Distraction
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    • 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
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    • 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
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Impingement Test
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    • Internal Rotation Strength
Test
    • External Rotation Strength
Test
    • Glenoid Labrum Clunk Test
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Test
    • Anterior Drawer
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    • Push Pull Test
    • Apprehension Test
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    • 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
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  • Elbow & Radioulnar
    • Valgus Test 00
    • Valgus Test 300
    • Valgus Test 900
    • Miking Sig
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 Stress Test
    • Varus Test 00
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    • Tinel Sign
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    • 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
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  • 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
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    • 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
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    • Yeoman's Test
    • Sit-up Test
  • Hip & Thigh
    • Scouring (Quandrant) Test
    • FABER Test
    • Trendelenburg Test
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    • Hamstring Contracture Test 1
    • Tripod Test
    • 90-90 Straight Leg Test
    • Phelp's Test
  • Knee
    • Anterior Drawer
    • Gravity Sign
    • Active Posterior/Anterior 
Drawer Test
    • Posterolateral Drawer Test
    • Lachman
      • Tradiional
      • Thigh Assisted
      • Drop Leg
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      • Table End
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      • 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
    • Quadriceps Active Test
  • Lower Leg
    • Heel Tap Test
    • Homan's Sign
    • Squeeze Test
    • Thompson Test
  • Ankle
    • Anterior Drawer
    • Cotton Test
    • Eversion Stress Test
    • Inversion Stress Test
    • Kleiger Test
    • Squeeze Test
    • Wedge Test
  • Foot
    • Morton Test
    •  
  • Range of Motion
  • Goniometry
  • Manual Muscle Testing
  • Reflexes
  • Vital Signs
  • Body Composition

 

  Posterior Sag Test
Examination type Ligamentous special test
Patient & Body Segment Positioning Patient lies supine with hip flexed to 90 degrees and the knee to 90 degrees. Held by examiner.
Examiner Position Standing beside the examination table near the knee with head in position to visualize both knees and proximal tibias just inferior to the anterior joint line.  Examiner must use one hand to maintain both the hips and knees flexed at 90 degrees. (May use an assistant to hold the position of the knees and hips.
Tissues Being Tested Primarily the Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) and secondarily the Posterior Oblique Ligament and/or Fibular Collateral Ligament, Popliteus Tendon, Arcuate Ligament.
Positive Test Note the amount of posterior sag relative to uninvolved side. The tibia will "drop back" or sag back on the femur if the Posterior Cruciate Ligament is torn. Must observe both knees, because if the sag isn’t noticed, it could give you a false positive anterior drawer.
Interpretation Positive test or an increased sag suggests PCL rupture 
Common errors in performing exam Athlete is not completely relaxed
Factors possibly resulting in misinterpretation Enlarged tibial tubercle on one knee secondary to Osgood-Schlatter
Related tests Gravity Sign/Gravity Test, Godfrey 90-90 Test, Quadriceps Active Test
References Magee, David J.; Orthopedic Physical Assessment, 4th Edition. Pg.704- 705
Links: What the Results Suggest

How the Test is Performed

DESCRIPTION OF TEST BEING PERFORMED

Patient lies supine with hip flexed to 45 degrees and the knee to 90 degrees. Must observe both knees, look for one tibia to sag or be lower than the other one.  If the sag is noticed, it could give you a false positive anterior drawer.
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