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Elite Edition

What does a positive drawer test indicate?

Author

Sarah Martinez

Published Mar 22, 2026

What does a positive drawer test indicate?

If the tibia pulls forward or backward more than normal, the test is considered positive. Excessive displacement of the tibia anteriorly suggests that the anterior cruciate ligament is injured, whereas excessive posterior displacement of the tibia may indicate injury of the posterior cruciate ligament.

What is the drawer test for the knee?

What Is the Anterior Drawer Test? The anterior drawer test is a knee assessment that your doctor, physical therapist, or sports therapist uses to check for an ACL injury. It might be used along with a Lachman test, a pivot shift test, and an MRI.

What does the posterior drawer test look for?

Healthcare provider often perform a posterior drawer test to assess the function of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)—one of the four ligaments of the knee. If your healthcare provider suspects a PCL tear, the posterior drawer test is the best test to diagnose it.

What is the difference between Lachman and anterior drawer test?

Lachman’s test is more sensitive than is the anterior drawer sign. One reason may be that it is difficult for the patient to contract his hamstrings and thus prevent forward sliding of the tibia when the knee is in only 20 degrees – 30 degrees of flexion.

Is Lachman test same as anterior drawer?

An anterior drawer test (ADT) is commonly done at the same time as the Lachman test to help confirm the diagnosis of an ACL injury. This test is done by bending the hip 45 degrees and the knee 90 degrees, then pulling the knee forward with a sudden jerk to test the leg’s range of motion.

How accurate is the anterior drawer test?

Anterior drawer test and the pivot shift tests have a sensitivity of about 62 percent.

What does Lachman’s test for?

The Lachman test is a specific clinical exam technique used to evaluate patients with a suspected anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. The test relies on proper positioning and technique and is regarded as the most sensitive and specific test for diagnosing acute ACL injuries.

What is the Lachman drawer test?

The Lachman test is a physical examination maneuver used to assess the integrity of the anterior cruciate ligament in a suspected anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. The test is used to evaluate the anterior translation of the tibia in relation to the femur and is considered a variant of the anterior drawer test.

How does the Lachman drawer test work?

The Lachman test is carried out in relax supine position, the examiner bends the knee to about 15 degrees and slightly external rotation. Then, by stabilizing the femur with one hand and putting the other hand behind the proximal tibia at the level of joint line, and then the tibia is pulled forward.

How do I know my meniscus is torn?

If you’ve torn your meniscus, you might have the following signs and symptoms in your knee: A popping sensation. Swelling or stiffness. Pain, especially when twisting or rotating your knee.