Apley's grind test

System: Muscles, Bones & Joints Signs · All muscles, bones & joints signs

What it is — and how it is elicited

With the patient face down and knee bent to 90 degrees, the examiner presses down on the heel while rotating the shin; pain or clicking suggests meniscus damage, while distraction easing pain suggests ligament injury.

What a positive finding suggests

Associated with meniscal tears of the knee.

◈ Behind the name

Alan Graham Apley (1914–1996), British orthopaedic surgeon.

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Please note: This page is an educational reference about clinical examination signs. A clinical sign supports — and never replaces — a full clinical evaluation, examination and appropriate testing. A sign being present does not by itself prove a diagnosis, and an absent sign does not rule one out. If you have symptoms that worry you, see a health professional.