{"id":8544,"date":"2021-11-15T10:46:40","date_gmt":"2021-11-15T09:46:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/?post_type=wiki&p=8544"},"modified":"2026-10-15T18:29:23","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T16:29:23","slug":"valgus-stress-test","status":"publish","type":"wiki","link":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wiki\/valgus-stress-test\/","title":{"rendered":"Valgus Stress Test"},"featured_media":8546,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":""},"class_list":["post-8544","wiki","type-wiki","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"free_access":"","app_link":"","sections":[{"acf_fc_layout":"page-header-detail-page","background":{"background_image":8546,"background_image_alt_text":"Valgus Stress Test"},"heading":"Valgus Stress Test | MCL Injuries","subheading":"Knee Assessment","content_editor":"","button_type":"internal_link","button_label":"Check our shop","button_style":"button-five","button_internal_link":4646,"button_anchor":"","button_url":"","button_file":null,"label":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"submenu","links":[{"button_type":"anchor","button_label":"Learn","button_internal_link":null,"button_anchor":"section-number-3","button_url":"","button_file":null},{"button_type":"anchor","button_label":"Free webinar","button_internal_link":null,"button_anchor":"section-number-5","button_url":"","button_file":null},{"button_type":"anchor","button_label":"Assessment E-Book","button_internal_link":null,"button_anchor":"section-number-6","button_url":"","button_file":null}],"dropdown_label":"Go to","button_right":{"button_type":"internal_link","button_label":"Try Premium free","button_style":"button-three","button_internal_link":26802,"button_anchor":"","button_url":"","button_file":""},"button_description":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content-content","section_options":{"vertical_alignment":"top","column_right_box":false,"column_left_width":"col-12 col-lg-4 offset"},"column_left":{"content_editor":"

Learn<\/h4>"},"column_right":{"content_editor":"

Valgus Stress Test for Medial Collateral Ligament Injuries<\/h2>\nMedial collateral ligament injuries are among the most prevalent knee injuries seen in primary care. It\u2019s therefore of particular interest to our healthcare systems that physicians and physiotherapists are able to filter patients with suspected MCL injuries prior to referring them to secondary care. Therefore, Kastelein et al. (2008)<\/a> conducted a study to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of patient history items as well as orthopedic tests to assess the integrity of the MCL. One of the tests was the valgus stress test, particularly at 30\u00b0 of knee flexion. As a stand-alone test, it had a sensitivity of 78% and specificity of 67% the pain was used as the outcome measure and a sensitivity of 91% and specificity of 49% when laxity was the outcome measure. So, the absence of both pain and laxity seems to be of at least moderate clinical value to exclude the presence of MCL lesions whereas confirming lesions using this test is not possible with acceptable certainty.\n
\n\n[embed]https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=QX1iLSc1TVA[\/embed]\n\n<\/div>\nPerformance in 0\u00b0 of flexion:\nHold the knee in full extension, secure the ankle with one hand, and place the other hand around the knee so that the thenar is against the fibular head. Then push medially against the knee and laterally against the ankle in an attempt to open the knee joint on the inside. Also, try to palpate the medial joint line for gapping and pain.\n\nVariation in 30\u00b0 of knee flexion:\nThe execution here is the same but you can use a cushion to place the knee in 30\u00b0 of flexion or place the knee on your thigh. Then again, secure the ankle with one hand and place the other hand around the knee so that the thenar is against the fibular head. Then push medially against the knee and laterally against the ankle in an attempt to open the knee joint on the inside. Also, try to palpate the medial joint line for gapping and pain.\n\nIf you want to assess the integrity of the Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) at the knee, check out the Varus Stress Test<\/a>.\n\n \n"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"content-content","section_options":{"vertical_alignment":"top","column_right_box":false,"column_left_width":"col-12 col-lg-4 offset"},"column_left":{"content_editor":"

References<\/h4>"},"column_right":{"content_editor":"Kastelein M, Wagemakers HP, Luijsterburg PA, Verhaar JA, Koes BW, Bierma-Zeinstra SM. Assessing medial collateral ligament knee lesions in general practice. The American journal of medicine. 2008 Nov 1;121(11):982-8.<\/a>"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"cta-form-v2","content_editor":"

Working with ACL patients?<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n

Watch Bart Dingenen's free<\/strong> webinar on ACL injury management, plus practical resources in your inbox.<\/p>","form":"41","image":29327,"image_alt_text":"Free ACL webinar"},{"acf_fc_layout":"cta-image-v2","layout":"","background":"transparent","heading":"","content_editor":"

Like what you\u2019re learning?<\/p>\n

Get the full Physiotutors Assessment Book<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

    \n \t
  • 600+ pages on orthopedic assessment<\/li>\n \t
  • Video demonstrations and direct links to the PubMed studies<\/li>\n \t
  • Statistical values for every special test, from the latest research<\/li>\n \t
  • Free lifetime updates<\/li>\n \t
  • Available in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Turkish<\/li>\n<\/ul>","button_type":"internal_link","button_label":"See the Assessment Book","button_style":"button-two","button_internal_link":4646,"button_anchor":"","button_url":"","button_file":null,"side_button":{"side_button_content_editor":""},"bottom_button":{"bottom_button_content_editor":""},"image":22705,"image_alt_text":""}]},"yoast_head":"\nValgus Stress Test | Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Injury<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Valgus Stress Test is a common orthopedic tests in order to assess the integrity of the medial collateral ligament in the knee.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wiki\/valgus-stress-test\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Valgus Stress Test | Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Injury\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Valgus Stress Test is a common orthopedic tests in order to assess the integrity of the medial collateral ligament in the knee.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wiki\/valgus-stress-test\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Physiotutors\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/facebook.com\/physiotutors\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-15T16:29:23+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/kneeassessment_valgusstresstest_2.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"945\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"532\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@physiotutors\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/wiki\\\/valgus-stress-test\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/wiki\\\/valgus-stress-test\\\/\",\"name\":\"Valgus Stress Test | Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Injury\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/wiki\\\/valgus-stress-test\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/wiki\\\/valgus-stress-test\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/11\\\/kneeassessment_valgusstresstest_2.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-11-15T09:46:40+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-15T16:29:23+00:00\",\"description\":\"The Valgus Stress Test is a common orthopedic tests in order to assess the integrity of the medial collateral ligament in the knee.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/wiki\\\/valgus-stress-test\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/wiki\\\/valgus-stress-test\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/wiki\\\/valgus-stress-test\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/11\\\/kneeassessment_valgusstresstest_2.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/11\\\/kneeassessment_valgusstresstest_2.jpg\",\"width\":945,\"height\":532,\"caption\":\"Valgus Stress Test\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/wiki\\\/valgus-stress-test\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Valgus Stress Test\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Physiotutors\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Physiotutors\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/06\\\/PHY_Logo-Purple-2.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/06\\\/PHY_Logo-Purple-2.svg\",\"width\":315,\"height\":65,\"caption\":\"Physiotutors\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.physiotutors.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/facebook.com\\\/physiotutors\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/physiotutors\",\"https:\\\/\\\/instagram.com\\\/physiotutors\",\"https:\\\/\\\/youtube.com\\\/physiotutors\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Valgus Stress Test | Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Injury","description":"The Valgus Stress Test is a common orthopedic tests in order to assess the integrity of the medial collateral ligament in the knee.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wiki\/valgus-stress-test\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Valgus Stress Test | Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Injury","og_description":"The Valgus Stress Test is a common orthopedic tests in order to assess the integrity of the medial collateral ligament in the knee.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wiki\/valgus-stress-test\/","og_site_name":"Physiotutors","article_publisher":"https:\/\/facebook.com\/physiotutors","article_modified_time":"2026-10-15T16:29:23+00:00","og_image":[{"width":945,"height":532,"url":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/kneeassessment_valgusstresstest_2.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@physiotutors","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wiki\/valgus-stress-test\/","url":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wiki\/valgus-stress-test\/","name":"Valgus Stress Test | Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Injury","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wiki\/valgus-stress-test\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wiki\/valgus-stress-test\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/kneeassessment_valgusstresstest_2.jpg","datePublished":"2021-11-15T09:46:40+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-15T16:29:23+00:00","description":"The Valgus Stress Test is a common orthopedic tests in order to assess the integrity of the medial collateral ligament in the knee.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wiki\/valgus-stress-test\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wiki\/valgus-stress-test\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wiki\/valgus-stress-test\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/kneeassessment_valgusstresstest_2.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/kneeassessment_valgusstresstest_2.jpg","width":945,"height":532,"caption":"Valgus Stress Test"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wiki\/valgus-stress-test\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Valgus Stress Test"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/","name":"Physiotutors","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/#organization","name":"Physiotutors","url":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/PHY_Logo-Purple-2.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/PHY_Logo-Purple-2.svg","width":315,"height":65,"caption":"Physiotutors"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/facebook.com\/physiotutors","https:\/\/x.com\/physiotutors","https:\/\/instagram.com\/physiotutors","https:\/\/youtube.com\/physiotutors"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wiki\/8544","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wiki"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/wiki"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wiki\/8544\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29398,"href":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wiki\/8544\/revisions\/29398"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8546"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}