Definition: The Thomson test is performed when making the diagnosis of a torn Achilles tendon.
To perform the Thompson test, the patient should lie face-down on the examination table. The feet extend farther than the end of the bed. The examiner then squeezes the calf muscle. This motion, in a normal patient, should cause the toes to point downward as the Achilles pulls the foot. In a patient with a ruptured Achilles tendon, the foot will not move. That is called a positive Thompson test.
