Rosenthal MD, Rauh MJ, Cowan JE. Prospective Assessment of Clinical Tests Used to Evaluate Tibial Stress Fracture.
Orthop J Sports Med 2022;
10:23259671221122356. [PMID:
36147792 PMCID:
PMC9486277 DOI:
10.1177/23259671221122356]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background:
Tibial stress fracture (SFx) is the most common SFx of the lower extremity.
Presently, diagnostic accuracy of clinical examination techniques for tibial
SFx remains suboptimal.
Purpose:
To assess the diagnostic effectiveness of 5 clinical tests for tibial SFx
individually versus a test item cluster.
Study Design:
Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 3.
Methods:
A total of 50 patients with tibial pain (17 with bilateral symptoms) were
assessed with 5 clinical examination tests (tibial fulcrum test, focal
tenderness to palpation, heel percussion test, therapeutic ultrasound test,
and 128-Hz tuning fork test) before they underwent diagnostic imaging
(radionuclide bone scan). The application of the clinical tests was
counterbalanced to minimize the likelihood of carryover effects. Patients
provided a pain rating immediately before and after the application of each
clinical test.
Results:
The prevalence of tibial SFx among the study participants was 52.2%. High
levels of specificity were produced by the therapeutic ultrasound test
(93.8%), tuning fork test (90.6%), and percussion test (90.6%). The fulcrum
test had moderate to high specificity (84.4%). All tests demonstrated low
levels of sensitivity, with the highest levels found for focal tenderness to
palpation (48.6%) and fulcrum (45.7%). The fulcrum test provided the highest
positive likelihood ratio (2.93), followed by the therapeutic ultrasound
test (2.30). The fulcrum test had the lowest negative likelihood ratio
(0.64), with the focal tenderness to palpation and tuning fork tests having
negative likelihood ratios >1.0. Combinations of these clinical tests did
not improve the prediction of tibial SFx above that observed among the
individual tests.
Conclusion:
The clinical tests evaluated were generally highly specific, but all had low
sensitivity. The fulcrum test provided the highest level of diagnostic
accuracy; however, it was inadequate for definitive clinical management.
Combining tests did not improve the diagnostic accuracy of tibial SFx.
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