Measuring the position and mobility of the patella is still a very important component of my clinical examination of the knee.  It gives me a great sense of soft tissue restrictions that may be present when patellar hypomobility is noted.  This is especially common after knee surgery.  But measuring patella mobility is also important to assess generalized laxity when patellar hypermobility is observed.

The first time you feel either of these during your clinical exam, you’ll know what I mean.

But if you read through the literature, you may find conflicting results regarding the validity and reliability of assessing patella position and mobility.

Here’s a simple special test to accurately and reliably measure patella position and mobility during your knee clinical examination.