Ege’s Test assesses meniscal symptom provocation during loaded squatting with tibial rotation. A positive result may suggest meniscal irritation but does not confirm a meniscus tear on its own.
Meniscal symptoms commonly appear during twisting, squatting and loaded rotational movements.
Ege’s Test is a functional, weight-bearing assessment that combines squatting with tibial rotation to reproduce symptoms associated with meniscal irritation.
It is commonly used alongside:
Thessaly Test
McMurray’s Test
joint-line palpation
movement assessment
A positive result may increase suspicion of meniscal involvement, particularly when clicking or joint-line pain is reproduced during the movement.
Test name: Ege’s Test
Body region: Knee
Purpose: Assess meniscal irritation during loaded movement
Positive finding: Joint-line pain, clicking or locking during squat rotation
Negative finding: No symptom reproduction during testing
Best used with: Thessaly Test and McMurray’s Test
Key limitation: Symptoms may overlap with patellofemoral or load-related pain
Ege’s Test is a weight-bearing squat assessment performed with the feet rotated inward or outward to load different regions of the meniscus.
The test attempts to reproduce:
joint-line pain
clicking
locking sensations
mechanical symptoms during rotation and load
The test may help:
assess meniscal irritation
evaluate rotational knee symptoms
reproduce loaded mechanical symptoms
support meniscus assessment reasoning
It is commonly used after:
twisting injuries
change-of-direction sport injuries
rotational knee loading incidents
squatting-related knee pain
Ege’s Test assesses:
symptom response during loaded knee rotation
meniscal load tolerance
mechanical symptom reproduction
rotational movement sensitivity
It does not identify tear severity or confirm structural meniscal injury.
This test may be useful for:
exercise professionals
rehabilitation practitioners
sports medicine settings
strength and conditioning coaches
movement assessment professionals
Use when there is:
twisting knee pain
clicking or locking sensations
joint-line discomfort
pain during squatting
suspected meniscal involvement
Use caution with:
acute swelling
inability to squat safely
severe pain
recent surgery
acute traumatic instability
Stop testing if:
pain becomes severe
locking occurs
balance becomes unsafe
symptoms escalate rapidly
Open floor space
Pain scale
Measurz recording workflow
The client stands with feet wider than shoulder width.
For medial meniscus bias:
feet externally rotated
For lateral meniscus bias:
feet internally rotated
Stand nearby to monitor balance and movement quality.
No direct hand placement required unless balance assistance is needed.
Ensure controlled squat depth and safe positioning.
The client performs a slow squat while maintaining foot rotation.
Observe:
pain
clicking
locking
movement quality
symptom location
Ask the client to:
squat slowly
report familiar symptoms
stop if symptoms become severe
A positive Ege’s Test may include:
joint-line pain
clicking
catching
locking sensation during squatting
A negative finding involves:
pain-free squat movement
no mechanical symptoms
controlled rotational loading tolerance
Stop if:
locking occurs
pain becomes severe
instability develops
balance is compromised
Use caution in highly irritable knees or unstable presentations.
A positive Ege’s Test may suggest:
meniscal irritation
rotational knee sensitivity
possible mechanical involvement during loaded movement
It becomes more meaningful when combined with:
joint-line tenderness
twisting injury history
locking symptoms
additional meniscus tests
A negative test may reduce suspicion of mechanically sensitive meniscal involvement, but it does not fully exclude smaller or less irritable lesions.
The test does not confirm a meniscus tear on its own.
Research on Ege’s Test remains limited compared to more commonly used meniscal assessments.
Condition or presentation: suspected meniscal injury
Population: individuals with knee pain or mechanical symptoms
Test variation: weight-bearing rotational squat test
Reference standard: MRI or arthroscopy depending on study
Sensitivity: variable across studies
Specificity: variable across studies
Positive likelihood ratio: limited evidence available
Negative likelihood ratio: limited evidence available
Key limitations: limited high-quality research, movement variability and symptom overlap
The test is generally considered more useful as part of a broader meniscus assessment cluster rather than as a standalone diagnostic tool.
Reliability improves with:
consistent squat depth
controlled rotational positioning
standardised instructions
Validity is stronger when:
familiar mechanical symptoms are reproduced
movement findings match injury history
multiple meniscus findings are present
Common errors include:
uncontrolled squat speed
poor foot positioning
insufficient symptom clarification
excessive squat depth in painful knees
Limitations include:
symptom overlap with other knee conditions
limited standalone diagnostic evidence
dependence on movement tolerance
Ege’s Test may help:
assess loaded rotational knee symptoms
monitor meniscal irritability
guide squat modification strategies
contribute to return-to-sport assessment
support movement-based knee assessment reasoning
Record:
test name
side tested
foot rotation direction used
squat depth achieved
result (positive / negative / unclear)
pain location
pain score (0–10)
clicking or locking symptoms
movement compensations
comparison side
irritability level
related findings
interpretation notes
Thessaly Test
McMurray’s Test
Apley’s Test
Sweep Test
Lachman Test
Joint-Line Palpation
What does Ege’s Test assess?
It assesses meniscal symptoms during loaded squatting and rotation.
What is a positive Ege’s Test?
Joint-line pain, clicking or locking during the squat movement.
Does it diagnose a meniscus tear?
No. It may suggest meniscal involvement but does not confirm injury.
Why is it considered functional?
Because it uses weight-bearing movement instead of passive testing.
Should it be used alone?
No. It works best with other meniscus assessments.
What does Ege’s Test assess?
Loaded rotational knee symptoms and meniscal irritation.
Does it confirm a meniscus tear?
No. It only helps support assessment reasoning.
What does a positive result mean?
It may suggest meniscal sensitivity during squatting and rotation.
What does a negative result mean?
It may reduce suspicion of mechanically sensitive meniscal involvement.
Should it be used alone?
No. It works best as part of a meniscus assessment cluster.
What is the main value of the test?
Helping identify whether loaded rotational movement reproduces familiar knee symptoms.
Hegedus, E. J., et al. (2018–2022). Diagnostic accuracy of knee special tests. British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Smith, B. E., et al. (2020–2023). Meniscal assessment and mechanical knee symptom interpretation. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy.
Logerstedt, D. S., et al. (2021). Meniscal lesion clinical practice guideline updates. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy.
