Rehab Protocols
Interactive Knee Exam
Viscosupplementation

PLC Instability

  1. Ext. Rotation Recurvatum Test
  2. Varus Stress Test
  3. Posterolateral Drawer Test
  4. Reverse Pivot Shift Test
  5. Dial Test at 30°
  6. Dial Test at 90°
  7. Varus Thrust Gait
  8. KNEE HOME
The leg is placed over the examining table with one hand over the lateral joint line and the other holding the foot/ankle while the knee is flexed to 30 deg.
A varus applied stress (moment) is then applied to the knee to assess the integrity of the fibular collateral ligament and other PLC structures.
It is important in this test to compare the amount of increased varus opening to the normal contralateral knee. Some patients have normal physiologic increased lateral joint line opening.
This is the initial starting point for a varus stress test at 30 deg.
With application of a varus stress, a significant amount of increased lateral joint line opening is seen in this patient with a posterolateral knee injury.