Which clinical test involves the patient in prone with knee flexed to 90 degrees, examiner stabilizing the thigh, grasping the foot and calcaneus, and applying downward pressure through the heel while rotating the tibia; a positive result is pain, popping, or snapping?

• A. Apley compression test
• B. McMurray's test
• C. Bounce home test
• D. Thessaly test

Answer: (A)

This test is designed to stress the menisci by compressing the tibiofemoral joint while rotating the tibia, which can reveal a meniscal tear. The patient lies prone with the knee flexed to about 90 degrees. The examiner stabilizes the thigh, grasps the foot and heel, and applies downward pressure through the heel while rotating the tibia medially and laterally. A positive result is pain, popping, or snapping in the knee, indicating meniscal pathology.

The other tests involve different positions or mechanics: for example, McMurray’s test is typically done with the patient supine, moving the knee through flexion and extension while rotating the tibia to elicit a click; the bounce home test assesses the knee as it is straightened from a flexed position; the Thessaly test is performed weight-bearing with the patient standing and rotating the knee.