How to Perform a Squeeze Test of the Ankle

Professionals use the Squeeze Test to examine injured athletes for high ankle sprains. Any sport requiring sudden lateral movements puts its players at risk for the injury, which is one reason why it's so common. The test is convenient because it gives doctors a quick way to screen patients for sprains, allowing them to decide on further treatment. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

• 1

  Have the patient sit on an examination table or tall chair with his or her legs dangling over the edge.

• 2

  Ask the patient to pull his or her foot back toward the shinbone. This is more correctly known as dorsiflexion and puts the ankle in the right position for the squeeze test.

• 3

  Place one hand on the patient's tibia and the other on his or her fibula. Make sure your hands are low enough on the leg to be close to the ankle.

• 4

  Squeeze the two leg bones together. This puts strain on the ligaments of the ankle.

• 5

  Check the patient's response to the pressure. The test is positive if he or she feels pain over the space between two bones.