[Acute and chronic injuries to the knee in the doctor's office]

Abstract

In the diagnostic work-up of acute and chronic injuries to the knee, the patient's history together with the clinical findings are of decisive importance. Injuries to the cruciate and lateral ligaments, or to the menisci, as well as osteochondritis dissecans or chronic recurrent dislocation of the patella can usually be reliably diagnosed on the basis of information provided by the patient, and diagnostic manipulations. In this connection, Lachman's test, various drawer phenomena, the pivot shift test, and tests of the internal menisci described by McMurray, Payr, Steinmann, and Cabot as well as Apley's grinding test have all been described. The Wilson test can indicate osteochondritis dissicans; in chronic recurrent dislocation of the patella, Fairbank's apprehension test is positive.