The “Thessaly Test” is a clinical test used to diagnose meniscal tears in the knee. The meniscus is a piece of cartilage in your knee that cushions and stabilizes the joint. Damage or tears to the meniscus can cause pain, swelling, and mobility issues.
How the Thessaly Test is performed:
- Patient Standing: The patient stands flat on the ground, bearing weight on the leg being tested, while the clinician holds the patient’s hands or shoulders to provide balance.
- Knee Flexion: The patient’s knee is flexed to about 20 degrees. It’s crucial that the knee is not fully extended nor too deeply flexed for this test.
- Rotational Movement: The clinician instructs the patient to rotate their body and knee internally and externally three times, each rotation lasting about 3 seconds. The clinician may also apply manual rotation to the knee during the test.
- Observation: The clinician observes for signs of discomfort, pain, or a “clicking” sound in the knee, which may indicate a meniscal tear.
The Thessaly test is considered positive if pain or a clicking sound is elicited during the medial or lateral rotation of the knee. It’s designed to place stress on the meniscus to identify tears, but it should be noted that no single test is definitive for diagnosing meniscal injuries. Typically, a combination of physical examination, patient history, and imaging tests like MRI are used for an accurate diagnosis.
The Thessaly test offers the advantage of being a non-invasive, simple initial assessment tool that can be performed in a clinical setting without the need for sophisticated equipment.
