How to Perform a Wilson Test of the Knee

The Wilson's Test of the Knee is a quick exam doctors perform to check for the presence of osteochondritis dissecans, a rare disorder of the joint that causes both inflammation and pain. To accurately diagnose the disorder, doctors eventually give patients a more advanced screening, such as an MRI. However, the Wilson's Test is a reliable early screening for the disorder. Read on to learn more.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Ask the patient to sit on a table with his legs dangling over the edge.

2. Bend the patient's knee so that it's flexed at a 90-degree angle.

3. Grasp the patient's foot and turn it inward so that the shinbone rotates toward the opposite leg.

4. Instruct the patient to extend the affected leg until she feels pain. When osteochondritis dissecans is present, the patient experiences some pain when the leg reaches about 30 degrees of flexion.

5. Rotate the patient's foot back into its normal position facing forward. If this alleviates the pain in the patient's knee, then the test for osteochondritis dissecans is positive.

6. Repeat Steps 3 through 5 to double-check the results of the test.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure the patient gradually extends his leg during the test, instead of thrusting it out quickly.
• Don't perform the Wilson's Test of the Knee unless a doctor or other trained professional recommends the exam.

Resources

• Check out this clip for a demonstration of the Wilson's Test.

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