Which test is associated with a drawer examination that stresses the knee with internal rotation and external rotation to assess anterolateral instability?

• A. Slocum Test
• B. Martins Test
• C. Pivot Shift Test
• D. Thessaly Test

Answer: (A)

Anterolateral rotatory instability is evaluated by a drawer-type maneuver that specifically stresses the anterolateral structures of the knee. In the Slocum test, the knee is bent to about 90 degrees and the tibia is translated anteriorly while it is internally rotated to tighten the ligaments on the anterolateral side. A positive result shows greater anterior displacement (often with a sense of giving way or a clunk) on the involved knee compared to the other, indicating ALRI. Externally rotating the tibia during the same drawer maneuver stresses the opposite (anteromedial) restraints, helping to differentiate the pattern of instability. This rotation-modified drawer approach is what makes the Slocum test the best choice for assessing anterolateral instability. The other tests assess different knee pathologies or instabilities and do not specifically target the same ALRI pattern with a rotation-modified drawer.