MSK PRACTICAL EXAM | COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE, PRACTICE QUESTIONS & CLINICAL SKILLS
REVIEW 2026/2027
ACL Special tests - ANS ✔✔Anterior drawer test, Lachman's test, Pivot shift
ACL differential diagnosis test - ANS ✔✔Effusion test, Meniscal McMurray's, MCL valgus stress,
LCL sprain special tests - ANS ✔✔VARUS stress test
LCL differential diagnosis - ANS ✔✔ACL - lachman's, anterior drawer, PCL- posterior sag sign
Knee OA special tests - ANS ✔✔Effusion test - bulge sign + patellar tap, tenderness, crepitus,
Baker's cyst
Knee OA - differential diagnosis - ANS ✔✔Meniscal - McMurrays, Thessalys, PFPS - patellar
glide, Clarkes, Hip OA - trendelenburg, Ligamentous injury
Meniscal injury - special test - ANS ✔✔McMurray's, Thessalys, Apleys
Meniscal injury - differential diagnosis - ANS ✔✔ACL - anterior drawer, lachman's, MCL - Valgus
test.
UNHAPPY TRIAD!
PCL - special test - ANS ✔✔Posterior drawer, posterior sag sign, lachman's posterior, quadricep
active test
PCL - differential diagnosis - ANS ✔✔ACL - anterior drawer, lachmans, MCL - valgus stress test,
Meniscal - McMurrays, Thessalys, Apleys, PFP - Patellar grind, Clarkes test
, Patellofemoral pain syndrome - Special tests - ANS ✔✔Clarkes test, Patellar glide, Patellar tap
test
PFP - differential diagnosis - ANS ✔✔Osgood Schatter's - painful tibial tuberosity
MCL - special tests - ANS ✔✔Valgus stress test
MCL - differential diagnosis - ANS ✔✔Meniscal injury - McMurrays, Thessalys, Apleys, ACL
sprain - anterior drawer, lachmans
Cervical spine OA - special tests - ANS ✔✔No specific! Neurological testing - ULTT1,
dermatomes, myotomes,
Cervical spine OA - differential diagnosis - ANS ✔✔Cervical radicular pain - Spurling's test,
cervical distraction test, cluster of wainner
Cervical Radiculopathy - special test - ANS ✔✔Cervical radicular pain - Spurling's test, cervical
distraction test, cluster of wainner
Cervical sprain (whiplash) - special test - ANS ✔✔ULTT1, dermatomes, myotomes.
Cervical sprain (whiplash) - differential diagnosis - ANS ✔✔Cervical radicular pain - Spurling's
test, cervical distraction test, cluster of wainner. Herniated disc - neurological examination
Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) - special test - ANS ✔✔External rotation, Neurological
screen, ULTT1, coracoid pain test, hand to neck, hand to scapula, hand to opposite scapula, AP /
PA glide for ligament
REVIEW 2026/2027
ACL Special tests - ANS ✔✔Anterior drawer test, Lachman's test, Pivot shift
ACL differential diagnosis test - ANS ✔✔Effusion test, Meniscal McMurray's, MCL valgus stress,
LCL sprain special tests - ANS ✔✔VARUS stress test
LCL differential diagnosis - ANS ✔✔ACL - lachman's, anterior drawer, PCL- posterior sag sign
Knee OA special tests - ANS ✔✔Effusion test - bulge sign + patellar tap, tenderness, crepitus,
Baker's cyst
Knee OA - differential diagnosis - ANS ✔✔Meniscal - McMurrays, Thessalys, PFPS - patellar
glide, Clarkes, Hip OA - trendelenburg, Ligamentous injury
Meniscal injury - special test - ANS ✔✔McMurray's, Thessalys, Apleys
Meniscal injury - differential diagnosis - ANS ✔✔ACL - anterior drawer, lachman's, MCL - Valgus
test.
UNHAPPY TRIAD!
PCL - special test - ANS ✔✔Posterior drawer, posterior sag sign, lachman's posterior, quadricep
active test
PCL - differential diagnosis - ANS ✔✔ACL - anterior drawer, lachmans, MCL - valgus stress test,
Meniscal - McMurrays, Thessalys, Apleys, PFP - Patellar grind, Clarkes test
, Patellofemoral pain syndrome - Special tests - ANS ✔✔Clarkes test, Patellar glide, Patellar tap
test
PFP - differential diagnosis - ANS ✔✔Osgood Schatter's - painful tibial tuberosity
MCL - special tests - ANS ✔✔Valgus stress test
MCL - differential diagnosis - ANS ✔✔Meniscal injury - McMurrays, Thessalys, Apleys, ACL
sprain - anterior drawer, lachmans
Cervical spine OA - special tests - ANS ✔✔No specific! Neurological testing - ULTT1,
dermatomes, myotomes,
Cervical spine OA - differential diagnosis - ANS ✔✔Cervical radicular pain - Spurling's test,
cervical distraction test, cluster of wainner
Cervical Radiculopathy - special test - ANS ✔✔Cervical radicular pain - Spurling's test, cervical
distraction test, cluster of wainner
Cervical sprain (whiplash) - special test - ANS ✔✔ULTT1, dermatomes, myotomes.
Cervical sprain (whiplash) - differential diagnosis - ANS ✔✔Cervical radicular pain - Spurling's
test, cervical distraction test, cluster of wainner. Herniated disc - neurological examination
Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) - special test - ANS ✔✔External rotation, Neurological
screen, ULTT1, coracoid pain test, hand to neck, hand to scapula, hand to opposite scapula, AP /
PA glide for ligament
