Varus Stress Test (of the knee)

Patient Position

• Supine (or seated)

Procedure Steps

Supine testing

• Drop the leg off the table and flex the knee to 30°.
• Put fingers over the lateral joint line.
• Grab the ankle/foot and apply a varus stress to the knee (using the medial knee against the outside of the table as a fulcrum and pushing the ankle lateral to medial).
• Compare to the opposite, unaffected side.

Seated testing

• Grasp the lateral ankle on the involved side of the body
• Flex the knee to 20-30°
• With the other hand, apply a medial-to-lateral varus force against the medial knee

Positive Sign / Significance

• Significantly increased lateral joint space gapping = Lateral collateral ligament injury (grade 3 complete tear)
• Pain over the lateral knee = Lateral collateral ligament sprain