What does a positive Lachman test indicate during a knee assessment?

A positive Lachman test may indicate anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury or rupture, shown by increased forward movement of the tibia.

How are valgus and varus stress tests used to assess knee ligaments?

Valgus stress testing assesses the medial collateral ligament (MCL), while varus stress testing assesses the lateral collateral ligament (LCL).

What can a positive McMurray’s or Thessaly test suggest?

Pain, clicking, locking, or joint-line symptoms during these tests can suggest a meniscal tear.

Free online course Knee assessment

Duration of the online course: 2 hours and 14 minutes

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Build clinical confidence with a free knee assessment course: step-by-step tests for ligaments, meniscus and patellofemoral pain, plus practical quiz practice.

In this free course, learn about

How to run through a full knee assessment systematically (obs, palpation, ROM, strength, function, special tests)
Key observation findings in knee assessment incl. swelling, deformity, gait and Osgood-Schlatter presentation
How and why to palpate knee structures; compare affected vs unaffected side for baseline and asymmetry
Active knee ROM testing using PQR (pain, quality, range) and interpreting symptom behavior
Passive knee ROM testing: end-feel, pain, range limits, and signs of capsular/non-capsular restriction
Resisted isometric tests for knee muscle groups; grading power with the Oxford/MRC scale
Knee functional tests selection and rationale (e.g., squat, step, hop) and what is not a functional test
MCL (valgus) stress test procedure and what a positive test suggests about medial ligament integrity
LCL (varus) stress test procedure, knee flexion positioning, and interpretation for lateral ligament injury
ACL tests: anterior drawer and Lachman handling; what increased anterior translation/laxity indicates
PCL tests: posterior drawer and sag sign; recognizing posterior tibial translation/sagging
Meniscal tests: Apley, McMurray (ER biases medial meniscus), and Thessaly; positives and meaning

About the free online course

Accurate knee assessment is a core physiotherapy skill that influences every clinical decision, from identifying red flags to choosing the right objective tests and tracking progress over time. This free online course is designed to help you approach knee examinations with clarity and confidence, bringing structure to your reasoning and consistency to your hands-on technique.

You will learn how to run through a full knee assessment in a logical order, starting with observation and moving into palpation and movement testing. The training reinforces what to look for and why it matters, so you can connect visual cues and patient-reported symptoms to meaningful clinical hypotheses. By focusing on both the involved and uninvolved side, you will strengthen your ability to recognize normal versus abnormal findings and reduce bias during examination.

As you progress, the course guides you through active and passive range of movement testing, including how to interpret patterns, quality of motion, pain behavior and end feel. You will also practice resisted testing with appropriate grading of muscle power, improving your ability to document findings clearly and communicate them to colleagues, supervisors or other members of a healthcare team.

Special tests are demonstrated in a way that emphasizes safe handling, positioning and purpose. You will become familiar with common ligament and meniscal assessments and how each test biases specific structures, as well as patellofemoral and flexibility-related screens that support differential diagnosis. Functional testing is included to help you relate impairments to real-world performance and guide return-to-activity decisions.

To help you retain knowledge and sharpen clinical reasoning, the course includes question-based exercises that reinforce key concepts behind each step of assessment. Whether you are a physiotherapy student, new graduate or clinician revisiting fundamentals, this learning path supports more confident examinations, better documentation and more informed next steps in patient management.

Course content

Video class: Knee Joint Full Assessment Run Through | Clinical Physio 06m
Exercise: What is the primary purpose of recording the real-time knee joint assessment video, as explained in the content?
Video class: Observation of the Knee Joint | Clinical Physio 16m
Exercise: What is a typical presentation of Osgood-Schlatter disease observed during a knee assessment?
Video class: Knee Joint Palpation | Clinical Physio 13m
Exercise: What is the primary reason for palpating both the affected and unaffected sides of the knee during a clinical assessment?

Video class: Knee Active Range of Motion / Movement Testing | Clinical Physio 11m
Exercise: In the assessment of active range of movement (AROM) for the knee, what does PQR stand for?
Video class: Knee Passive Range of Motion / Movement Testing | Clinical Physio 10m
Exercise: What key aspects should a physiotherapist look for while conducting passive range of movement testing of the knee joint?
Video class: Resisted Tests and Testing of the Knee Joint | Clinical Physio 14m
Exercise: Which scale is used to measure a patient's muscle power during knee joint assessment in physiotherapy?

Video class: Knee Functional Tests | Clinical Physio 07m
Exercise: Which of the following is NOT considered a functional test for the knee joint?
Video class: MCL Stress Test for Knee | Clinical Physio 03m
Exercise: What is the primary purpose of the MCL stress test, also known as the valgus knee stress test?
Exercise: Which of the following is NOT a step in performing the MCL stress test as described in the video?
Video class: LCL Stress Test for Knee | Clinical Physio 02m
Exercise: Which position is suggested to slightly flex the knee during the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) stress test?
Exercise: Which of the following is NOT a step involved in performing the varus stress test of the knee to assess the lateral collateral ligament?

Video class: Knee ACL Anterior Draw Test | Clinical Physio Premium 05m
Exercise: What is the primary purpose of the anterior drawer test?
Video class: Apley's Test for Meniscal (Meniscus) Injury Knee | Clinical Physio Premium 04m
Exercise: What does a positive Appley's test indicate when there is increased pain with tibial rotation during the compression component?
Video class: Clarke's Test for Knee (Patello-Femoral) Pain | Clinical Physio Premium 03m
Exercise: What is the primary purpose of Clark's test in assessing the knee joint?

Video class: Lachman's Test for ACL Rupture | Clinical Physio 03m
Exercise: Which one of the following statements correctly describes the handling for the traditional method of conducting Lachman's test?
Video class: Modified Thomas Test for Knee and Hip | Clinical Physio 06m
Exercise: What is the primary purpose of the modified Thomas test in physiotherapy?
Exercise: What is the purpose of the modified Thomas test as used in Clinical Physio?
Video class: LCL Stress Test for Knee | Clinical Physio 02m
Exercise: Which position is suggested to slightly flex the knee during the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) stress test?
Exercise: Which of the following is NOT a step involved in performing the varus stress test of the knee to assess the lateral collateral ligament?

Video class: MCL Stress Test for Knee | Clinical Physio 03m
Exercise: What is the primary purpose of the MCL stress test, also known as the valgus knee stress test?
Exercise: Which of the following is NOT a step in performing the MCL stress test as described in the video?
Video class: PCL Draw Test | Clinical Physio 02m
Exercise: What is the primary purpose of performing the PCL draw test in a clinical setting?
Video class: PCL Sag Test | Clinical Physio 02m
Exercise: What is the primary purpose of the PCL sag test?
Video class: McMurray's Test for Meniscal (Meniscus) Injury of the Knee | Clinical Physio 07m
Exercise: Which structure is specifically biased when applying external rotation of the tibia during McMurray's test?
Video class: Thessalys Test for Meniscal (Meniscus) Injury of the Knee | Clinical Physio 03m
Exercise: What is a positive indication of a meniscal tear when performing the Thessaly test?

Learn aboutJoint Assessment

Explore free online Joint Assessment courses designed to build practical skills in collaborative evaluation, planning, data analysis, and evidence-based decision-making. Learn at your own pace from anywhere, strengthen your professional expertise, and earn a certificate upon completion. Enroll today and advance your career with flexible, free training.