Execution
- 1Position the patient supine with the hip flexed and the knee flexed.
- 2Grasp the foot and applies internal rotation to the tibia.
- 3Apply valgus stress to the knee.
- 4Extend the knee from flexion toward the provocative range.
- 5Watch for a jerk as the lateral tibial plateau subluxes anteriorly.
Positive outcome
A visible or palpable jerk, subluxation, or apprehension is positive. The test is used for anterolateral rotatory instability and is closely related to pivot-shift testing. The direction of the clunk depends on whether the knee is being flexed or extended.
Studies
| Study | Reliability | Sn | Sp | LR+ | LR− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hughston et al. (1976) | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
CommentHughston's jerk test is a historical rotatory instability test. Magee groups it with anterolateral rotatory instability tests, but modern evidence usually reports pivot shift rather than each named variant. Value is low as a singleton because validation is limited.
Low Clinical Value