ORTHOPAEDICS ASSESSMENT

Date:
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Occupation:
Address:
Chief Complaint:
History:
Û Present History
3 Allowed to narrate history
3 Date of onset of symptoms
3 Mechanism of injury
3 Mode of onset
3 Condition – Improved, Stationary, Deteriorated
3 Muscular weakness
Û Pain History
3 Duration of symptoms
3 Type of pain
3 Aggravating and Relieving factors
Û Past History
3 Any history of Tuberculosis
3 Bronchial Asthma
3 Blood Pressure
3 Diabetes
3 Cardiac Problems
3 Enquiry made for any accidental injury
Û Family History
3 Hereditary?
3 Consanguinity?

1
 Û Personal History
3 Cigarettes – Number/day
How long?
3 Alcoholic – Amount/day
Duration
Û Socio-economic History
Û Medical History
3 Present medication patient is on

On Observation:
Û General Condition of patient – Poor, Good, Fair built
Û Wasting
Û Oedema
Û Any bandages, Scars – Area
Extent
Û Attitude of the Limbs – Supine, Sitting, Standing
Type of gait
Bony contours
Deformities

On Palpation:
Û Tenderness
Grading
1 : Patient complains of pain
2 : Patient complains of pain & winces
3 : Patient winces & withdraws
4 : Patient will not allow palpation of the joint
Û D/F tissue tension and texture
Û Temperature variation of skin
Û Spasm
Û Type of skin – Dry or Excessive moisture
Û Scar – Adherent / Non Adherent
Û Swelling
3 Comes on soon after injury – Blood
3 Comes on after 8 to 24 hours – Synovial
3 Boggy, spongy feeling – Synovial
3 Harder, tense feeling with warmth – Blood
3 Tough, dry – Callus

2
 3 Leathery thickening – Chronic
3 Soft fluctuating – Acute
3 Hard – Bone
3 Thick, slow-moving – Pitting oedema
Û Crepitus, Abnormal sounds
On Examination:
Û Vital Signs
Û Motor Assessment
Range of Motion (ROM)
Active - When and where pain starts
- Whether movement increases pain
- Pattern of movement
- Trick movements
Passive - When and where pain starts
- Whether movement increases pain
- Pattern of movement
- D/F between range of motion available
- End feel
End Feel
Normal - Bone to Bone
- Soft Tissue Approximation
- Tissue Stretch
Abnormal - Early Muscle Spasm
- Late Muscle Spasm
- Hard Capsular
- Soft Capsular
- Bone to Bone
- Empty
- Springy Block
Capsular Patterns
Manual Muscle Testing
MRC Grading
Resisted Isometrics
- On contraction causes pain and, if it does, pain’s intensity & quality
- Strength of contraction
- Type of contraction causing problem (concentric, isometric,
eccentric)

3
 Joint movements
- Loose packed position
- Close packed position
Û Sensory Assessment
Superficial Sensations
- Pain, Temperature, Light touch, Pressure
Deep Sensations
- Movement sense, Position sense
Combined Sensations
- Stereognosis, Tactile Localization, Two Point Discrimination,
Grapesthesia
MRC Grading
S0 : No sensation
S1 : Deep Proprioception
S2 : Skin touch, pain thermal sensation
S3 : S2 with accurate localization but deficient stereognosis, cold
sensitivity, hypersensitivity often present
S3+ : Object and texture recognition but not normal sensation, good
but not normal two point discrimination
S4 : Normal sensations
Û Reflexes
Superficial Reflexes
- Corneal, Abdominal, Plantar, Cremasteric
Deep Reflexes
- Biceps, Triceps, Babinski Reflex, Knee Jerk, Ankle Jerk
Clonus
Grading
0 : Absent
1 : Diminished
2 : Normal
3 : Brisk
4 : Exaggerated
Û Dermatomes & Myotomes
Û Limb Length Discrepancies
3 Apparent Length
3 True Length
Û Special Tests
Û Functional Assessment
Ambulation - Gait or Wheel Chair

4
 - Independent or Dependent
- Transfers
Û Gait Assessment
3 Type of gait
3 Stride length
3 Step length
Û VAS / NRS Scale
Û ADL

Investigations:
Clinical Impression:
Differential Diagnosis:
Findings to make Final Impression:
Final Diagnosis:
Goals:
3 Short Term
3 Long Term
Treatment Plan:
3 Electric Modalities
3 Manipulation
3 Exercises
3 Splints & Assistive Devices
Home Programme:

5
 SPECIAL ORTHOPAEDIC TESTS

z Shoulder:
h Speed Test - Bicipital Tendinitis
(Biceps or Straight Arm Test)
h Yergason’s Test - Bicipital Tendinitis
h Lippman’s Test - Bicipital Tendinitis
h Supraspinatus Test - Supraspinatus Tear
(Empty Can Test)
h Drop Arm Test (Codman’s Test) - Rotator Complex
h Neer Impingement Test - Supraspinatus & Biceps
Tendon
h Roos Test - Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
h Wright Test - Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
h Adson Test - Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
h Allen’s Test - Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
h Upper Limb Tension Test (ULTT)
ULTT 1 - Median nerve & anterior
interosseous nerve
ULTT 2 - C5, 6, 7, Median nerve,
Musculocutaneous nerve &
axillary nerve
ULTT 3 - Radial nerve
ULTT 4 - C8, T1, Ulnar nerve
h Apprehension Test - Anterior Shoulder Dislocation
h Rockwood Test - Anterior Shoulder Instability
h Dugas Test - Anterior Shoulder Dislocation
h Posterior Apprehension Test - Posterior Shoulder Dislocation
h Push Pull Test - Posterior Shoulder Dislocation
h Sulcus Test - Inferior Shoulder Instability
h Clunk Test - Labral Tear

6
z Elbow:
h Ligamentous Instability Tests - Lateral & Medial Collateral
Ligaments
h Cozen’s Test - Lateral Epicondylitis
h Mill’s Test - Lateral Epicondylitis
h Golfer’s Elbow Test - Medial Epicondylitis
h Wartenberg’s Sign - Ulnar Neuropathy
h Elbow Flexion Test - Cubital Syndrome
h Pronator Teres Test - Pronator Teres Syndrome

z Forearm, Wrist & Hand:

h Finketsein’s Test - Abductor Pollicis Longus &
Extensor Pollicis Longus
Tenosynovitis
h Sweater Finger Test - Ruptured Flexor Digitorum
Profundus
h Bunnel-Litter Test - Tight Intrinsics
h Phalen’s Test - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
h Reverse Phalen’s Test - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
h Froment’s Sign - Paralysis of Adductor Pollicis
Longus

z Pelvis:
h Approximation Test - Possible SI Lesion or Sprain
Posterior SI Ligaments
h Gapping Test - Sprain Anterior SI Ligaments
h Sacroiliac Rocking Test (SI Strain) - Sacrotuberous Ligaments
h SLR (Lascgucs Test) - SI Problems
h Gaenslen’s Test - I/P SI Lesion or Hip Pathology
or Lumbar Pathology
h Prone Knee Bend Test - For D/F Diagnosis
h Yeoman’s Test

7
z Hip:
h Patrick’s Test - Hip Joint?
(FABER or Figure Four Test) Iliopsoas Spasm
h Stinchfield Test - Hip Joint Pathology
h Thomas Test - Hip Flexion Contracture
h Rectus Femoris Contracture Test - For Rectus Femoris
h Ober’s Test - TFL Contracture
h Piriformis Test - Piriformis Syndrome

z Knee:
h Valgus Stress Test - Medial Collateral Ligament
h Varus Stress Test - Lateral Collateral Ligament
h Lachman Test - Anterior Cruciate Ligament
h Anterior Drawer Sign - Anterior Cruciate Ligament
h Posterior Drawer Sign - Posterior Cruciate Ligament
h McMurray Test - Meniscal Tear
h Apley’s Test - Meniscal or Ligamentous?
h Bounce Home Test - Meniscal Injury
h Mediopatellar Plica Test - Mediopatellar Plica
h Fluctuation Test - Swelling
h Patellar Tap Test - Swelling
h Clarke’s Sign - Patellofemoral Dysfunction
h McConnell Test - Chondromalacia Patella
h Q-Angle or Patellofemoral Angle - Patellofemoral Dysfunction
h Fairbank’s Apprehension Test - Dislocation of Patella

z Ankle:
h Anterior Drawer Test - Anterior Talofibular Ligament
Injury
h Talar Tilt - Calcaneofibular Ligament
h Thompson’s Test - Achilles Tendon Rupture

8
z Cervical Spine:
h Foraminal Compression - Cervical Radiculitis
(Sparling’s Test)
h ULTT’s D/F Diagnosis
h Shoulder Depression Test & - Compression of nerve roots or
Abduction Test Brachial Plexus Lesion
h Jackson’s Compression Test - Pressure on nerve root
h Valsalva Tests - Herniated disc / Tumour /
Osteophyte
h Vertebral Artery Test - Compression of Vertebral
(Cervical Quadrant Test) Artery

z Thoracic Spine:
h Slump Test - Impingement of Dura & Spinal
Cord / Nerve Roots

z Lumbar Spine:
h Slump Test - For Neuromeningeal Tract
h SLR (Basic), 2, 3, 4, Crossed SLR - Sciatic, Tibial, Sural, Common
Peroneal, Disc Prolapse
h Valsalva Maneuver - Increased Intrathecal Pressure
h Schober’s Test - Measure Flexion of Lumbar
Spine
h Stoop Test - Neurogenic Intermittent
Claudication

z Tests for Malingering:

h Hoover Test - Malingering for Back Pain
h Burns Test - Malingering for Back Pain