Definition: Ege's test is a specific maneuver to detect a meniscus tear. With a patient squatting, an audible and palpable click is heard/felt over the are of the meniscus tear. The patient's feet are turned outwards to detect a medial meniscus tear, and turned inwards to detect a lateral meniscus tear.
A recent study looked at all three tests for detecting a meniscus tear. No one test was significantly better than the other test, but the authors' found that the addition of Ege's test can help increase the accuracy of diagnosing a meniscus tear.
Tests to Detect a Meniscus Tear
- McMurray's Test
McMurray's test is similar to Ege's test, but the patient is lying down (non-weight bearing) and the examiner bends the knee. The click is felt over the meniscus tear as the knee is brought from full flexion to 90 degrees of flexion. - Joint Line Tenderness
Joint line tenderness is a very non-specific test for a meniscus tear. The area of the meniscus is felt, and a positive test is considered when there is pain over the area where the meniscus is found.
A recent study looked at all three tests for detecting a meniscus tear. No one test was significantly better than the other test, but the authors' found that the addition of Ege's test can help increase the accuracy of diagnosing a meniscus tear.
Last updated: 03/12/2006
References:
- Akseki D, et al. "A new weight-bearing meniscal test and a comparison with McMurray's test and joint line tenderness" Arthroscopy. 2004 Nov;20(9):951-8.
