Patellar tap

Patellar tap
Skyline view of the patella demonstrating a large joint effusion as marked by the arrow
Purpose	Detecting a knee effusion

The patellar tap is a technique used in an examination of the knee to test for knee effusion or "water-on-the-knee".^[1]

With the examinee lying on their back, the examiner extends the knee and presses the area above the kneecap with the palm of one hand. This pushes fluid under the kneecap and lifts it. While keeping the pressure on with the first hand, the examiner uses the fingers of their other hand to press down on the kneecap. If a knee effusion is present, the kneecap will move down and "tap" the bone beneath.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b "Knee Assessment". Patient. Retrieved 26 April 2016.

Musculoskeletal examination

Leg

Hip examination	Galeazzi test Allis test Barlow maneuver Ober's test Ortolani test Patrick's test Thomas test Trendelenburg's sign
Knee examination	Ballottement Clarke's test Drawer test Lachman test Patellar tap Pivot-shift test Valgus stress test meniscus Apley grind test McMurray test ligament and meniscus Unhappy triad
Foot and ankle	Hubscher's maneuver Mulder's sign Thompson test
General	Straight leg raise Lasègue's sign Gait abnormality Trendelenburg gait Unequal leg length Gower's sign

Arm

Shoulder examination	Apprehension test Jobe's test Neer Impingement Test Yergason's test rotator cuff Hawkins–Kennedy test Watson's test
Elbow examination	Cozen's test Elbow extension test
Hand and wrist	Durkan's test Finkelstein's test Froment's sign Lunotriquetral shear test Phalen maneuver Tinel sign Watson's test
General	Bethlem sign