KLEIGER's

TEST

​• Test positioning

The client sits with the leg off of the table and the knee at 90-degrees of flexion.

The therapist stabilizes the distal tibia and fibula with one hand and the medial and interior aspects of the calcaneus with the other hand.

The ankle should be in a neutrally aligned position.

​• Action

The therapist applies an externally rotated force upon the calcaneus.

The test is repeated with the ankle in a dorsiflexed position.

​• Positive finding

Complaints of pain along the medial aspect of the ankle when an externally rotated force is applied in neutral dorsiflexion may indicate a deltoid ligament injury.

When the ankle is dorsiflexed and an externally rotated force is applied, pain may be present medially and slightly more proximally, indicating distal tibiofibular syndesmotic involvement.

​• Special considerations & comments

The syndesmosis may be injured when the foot is fixated and a significant rotational force is applied.

This is often referred to as a "high ankle sprain" and may be very painful to the client when the reproduction of the rotational torque is applied.

Kleiger’s Test is attributed to Dr. James Kleiger, known for assessing the integrity of the deltoid ligament and syndesmosis of the ankle, particularly through passive external rotation of the foot.