Video – Clarke’s Sign

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Clarke’s Sign

Clarke’s sign indicates the involvement of the patellofemoral joint. This test has been given many other names including Clarke’s test, the patellar grind test, the active patellar grind test, and Zohler’s sign, and is performed with a number of variations.

With the patient in the supine position and their knee extended, place the webbing of your thumb and index finger on the superior pole of the patella and push it inferiorly. Ask the patient to contract their quadriceps to pull the patella superiorly while you maintain the pressure.

The test is considered positive if it reproduces the patient’s anterior knee pain with or without a sensation of crepitus. This is indicative of patellofemoral pain syndrome.

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