Ballotable and bulge test – What is the purpose, indication and relevance?

Ballotable and bulge Test: Client is supine. Practitioner places their hands on just proximal and distal to the patella and performs two or three upwards strokes along the medial patella, and with the opposite hand strokes inferiorly along the lateral patella

Purpose:

• Assess for effusion in the knee joint

Indications:

• Knee injury

Relevance:

• Positive test – pouching of fluid at the inferomedial aspect of the patella is indicative of effusion

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This post was written by Omar Rifai