Varus stress test

The knee is pushed into varus at 20 degrees of flexion and this loads several parts of the knee:-

• Stretches the lateral collateral and therefore proximal tibio-fibular joint
• Compresses the medial compartment (medial meniscus, medial tibial plateau, medial femoral condyle)

This test is done in 20 degrees of flexion to relax the iliotibial band and the structures of the posterior capsule. In full extension a varus stress may elicit pain from the iliotibial band, it's bursa or the structures of the posterior capsule.

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