Knee
Other Tests
Evidence: suggestive
Indentation Test Special Test
Orthopedic Physical Examination & Clinical Assessment Guide
What is it used for?
- Differentiating Synovial Thickening from Joint Effusion.
How to Perform
- Action: Patient lies supine. Examiner presses a thumb into the soft tissue next to the patella.
- Observation: Watch how quickly the indentation disappears.
Interpretation of Results
- Effusion: Indentation disappears instantly (fluid refalls).
- Synovial Thickening: Indentation remains or disappears slowly (pitting edema/thickening).
Clinical Context & Limitations
The Indentation Test should be considered as one component of a comprehensive musculoskeletal assessment. No single special test has perfect diagnostic accuracy; thus, clinical decision-making should integrate test results with patient-reported symptoms, mechanism of injury, functional impairment, and relevant imaging.
Clinicians should be aware of potential false-positive results in patients with pain sensitisation, muscle guarding, or poor relaxation. For the Knee region, combining the Indentation Test with complementary examination tests significantly improves overall diagnostic confidence.
References
- Magee, D. J. (2021). Orthopedic Physical Assessment.
