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Anterior Drawer Test (Knee) – Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Tears
Summary
What it measures:
Amount of anterior tibial translation with respect to the femur; used to detect ACL tears
Target Population:
People with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury
According to the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC 2000), the anterior drawer test is rated as:
- Normal (0-2 mm)
- Nearly normal (3-5 mm)
- Abnormal (6-10 mm)
- Severely abnormal (>10 mm)
These findings are based on the amount of greater tibial translation on the injured side compared with the uninjured contralateral knee. Increased anterior tibial displacement in side-to-side comparison is indicative of an ACL tear.
Normative/Reference Data
Ceiling and Floor Effects
None
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Date: May 30, 2017
Contact: practice@apta.org
Content Type: Test & Measure
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