The knee examination, in medicine and physiotherapy, is performed as part of a physical examination, or when a patient presents with knee pain or a history that suggests a pathology of the knee joint.
The exam includes several parts:
position/lighting/draping
inspection
palpation
motion.
To help diagnose the cause of the problem, your health care provider will ask medical history questions, such as:
When did your knee first begin to hurt?
Have you had knee pain before? What was the cause?
How long has this episode of knee pain lasted?
Do you feel the pain all the time, or off and on?
Are both knees affected?
Is the pain in your entire knee or one location, like the kneecap, outer or inner edge, or below the knee?
Is the pain severe?
Can you stand or walk?
Have you had an injury or accident involving the knee?
Have you overused the leg? Describe your usual activities and exercise routine.
What home treatments have you tried? Have they helped?
Do you have other symptoms, such as pain in your hip, pain down your leg or calf, knee swelling, swelling in your calf or leg, or fever?