Bump test is described as which of the following?

• A. Ankle plantarflexion with medial malleolus percussion
• B. Ankle in neutral position; apply firm force to the heel; pain
• C. Knee flexion with inversion stress
• D. Dorsiflexion of the ankle with a test of stability

Answer: (B)

The bump test is a quick fracture screen done with the ankle in neutral and a solid tap to the heel. The idea is to transmit a bump through the calcaneus into the tibia/fibula. If a fracture is present, tapping the heel typically reproduces pain at the site of the fracture. This makes the description “ankle in neutral position; apply firm force to the heel; pain” the best match, because it captures the neutral positioning and the direct heel strike used to provoke pain when a fracture is present.

The other descriptions pertain to different tests: tapping with the ankle plantarflexed targets other structures and is not the standard bump test; knee flexion with inversion stress and a dorsiflexion stability test describe ligament or joint stability maneuvers rather than the bone-focused percussion/bumps used to suspect fractures.