Corpus3D

Knee

Noble compression test

Noble compression test

What you examine
Iliotibial band friction syndrome.
Procedure
Supine, knee flexed to 90 degrees. Press with your thumb on the lateral femoral condyle just proximal to the joint line and slowly extend the knee while maintaining pressure.
Positive when
Recognisable pain at around 30 degrees of flexion, where the tract slides over the condyle.
What the test is worth
No reliable figures from well designed studies. The value lies in the patient recognising the complaint, not in a number.
Caution
The pain sits laterally above the joint line, not on it. If it is on the line, think of the lateral meniscus instead.
Joint
Knee joint
Body region
Knee

Structures involved