Kleiger test of the ankle:

• This test is also known as the external [lateral] rotation stress test.
• This test is applied in the clinic to check the injury of the syndesmosis of the ankle.
• This test is a clinical test that is applied when the patient is complain about ankle pain.
• This test is applied by to therapist in the examined part of the assessment.

What is the Purpose of the Kleiger test for the ankle?

• This test is used for the diagnosis of the medial means internal ankle sprain.
• This test is also used to assess the sprain of the deltoid ligament.
• This test is used for syndesmotic sprain of the inferior tibiofibular ligament.

How to perform the Kleiger test for the ankle?

• The starting position of the test for a patient is a sitting position.
• The patient is sitting position with the leg hanging over the examining table with the knee at 90′.
• The examiner stabilizes the leg with the help of one hand.
• With the help of the other hand, the examiner holds the foot in plantigrade [ 90′ ] & applies a passive lateral rotation means external rotation stress to the ankle & foot.

What is the result of the Kleiger test for the ankle?

• The test is positive for a syndesmosis means high ankle injury if the pain is produced over the anterior/posterior tibiofibular ligaments & the interosseous membrane.

• If the patient has pain medially means internally & the examiner feels the talus displace from the medial malleolus, it may indicate a tear of the deltoid ligaments.

• On stress radiographs, if the medial clear space is increased, it suggests rupture of the ligament if the lateral malleolus is intact.

What is Evidence of the Kleiger test for the ankle?

• According to kappa of the Interrater reliability of the Kleiger test for the ankle = 0.75.
• Sensitivity of the Kleiger test for the ankle = 25%.
• Specificity of the Kleiger test for the ankle = 84.8%.
• This result is found when the test result is compared with the MRI finding.

• With the ankle dorsiflexion result =
• The sensitivity of the Kleiger test for the ankle = 75%.
• The positive LR the Kleiger test for the ankle = 1.93

Kleiger’s Test Video