Special Tests of the Knee

The posterior drawer test evaluates the posterior cruciate ligament. To perform this test, place the knee in ninety degrees of flexion with the patient laying supine and the foot stabilized on the table. Grasp the anterior aspect of the tibia over the tibial tuberosity and push forward (displacing the tibia posteriorly) with a steady force. If the tibia moves posteriorly more than normal (compare with the uninjured leg) the test is positive. This is indicative of a posterior cruciate ligament tear.