Observation Assignment for the Lower Extremities
Ashley DeMarco
1. List all of the injuries seen during observation experience, and also their
mechanisms. Also, list if there was a previous injury of a similar nature.

Anterior compartment syndrome- female swimmer, chronic injury, no real
mechanism, seen as genetic and overuse injury, she experiences loss of sensation
in her lower leg when she swims too long.

LCL sprain- male football defender player, direct blow from falling knee first into
the ground when his ankle rolled, he has experienced knee injuries in the past.

Bilateral Tendonitis- Male basketball player, overuse injury with no real
mechanism written down.

Syndosmosis Sprain- Male soccer player, planted his foot in a weird way when
preparing for a kick, wearing old cleats.

Jones Fracture- Male basketball player, someone stepped directly onto his foot.

Lateral Ankle Sprain- Female track runner, fell over a hurdle and landed directly
onto the metal part of the hurdle, ankle everted and caused immediate swelling
and discoloration, she had sprained her opposite ankle before.
2. Make a list of anything that could have prevented these injuries from occurring.

Lateral Ankle Sprain- the runner could have decided not to run during windy
conditions so that it would not risk the hurdle falling over during her jumps.

Syndosmosis Sprain- invest in a new pair of cleats with better support.

If any of these body parts feel weaker than they normally do before they play the
sport they can go into the Athletic Training room to get it wrapped for more
support to prevent any further injuries.
3. List five treatments you observed, the injury being treated, and why that treatment
was being given. What was the goal of each treatment.

Friction Massage- for the treatment of bilateral tendonitis and it was performed to
restart the inflammation and healing process to relieve from pain caused from the
pressure caused from the tendonitis.

Friction and Ice- for the treatment of anterior compartment syndrome, it relieved
the pressure in her swollen legs from the compartment syndrome and helped give
some sensation back. The ice was used to tame the swelling in her lower legs and
help relieve some pain.

Ultrasound- treatment for tibialis anterior tendonitis, it was used to warm the
surrounding tissues to help the healing process

Taping of the knee- treatment and further prevention of a medial meniscus and
MCL tear, the athlete had a sprain and they wanted to help prevent and support
the area to prevent further damage.

Effularge- treatment for someones shin splints, it was to help the pitting edema
and help the blood flow back to the heart for sensation to go back into the leg.
Assignment 2 – Foot and Ankle
1. What was the mechanism of the injury?
The injury was a female swimmer and it was her right ankle. It had been bothering her for
two weeks, which they concluded was chronic, and the swimmer doesn’t remember if
there was a real mechanism of injury. Her pain scale was a 4.5 out of 10 and she has no
previous injury to her ankles. Her pain was located over her lateral ankle.
2. Was there any noticeable swelling, deformity, or discoloration?
There was some swelling, no deformity, and no bruising. She was positive for Hallx
Valgus.
3. Was the patient limping?
The patient was not limping, but complained of pain when she walked too long.
4. How was the patients range of motion?
AROM- within normal limits except for pain with eversion
PROM- within normal limits except for pain with eversion
RROM- within normal limits except for pain with eversion and plantar flexion plus
inversion
5. What muscles were tested and what was the grade 0-5?

Tib Ant  5/5

Tib Post  5/5

Peronious Longus/Brevis  5/5, positive for pain

Peroneous Tertious  5/5, positive for pain
6. What ligaments and special tests were performed? What was the result of each?

Anterior Drawer (-)

Kleighers Test (+)

Compression Test (-) positive for pain

Taler Tilt (-)

Tap, Bump Test (-) no pain at all
7. What neurological Tests were performed? With what results?
Within normal limits, no tests were really performed.
8. Comment on the evaluation. What do you think was performed correctly? What
could have been done better? What did you learn from observing the evaluation?
It ended up being a grade one high ankle sprain, and they were beginning to develop a
rehab program for it. I thought the evaluation was performed professionally and
everything that needed to be tested or graded for the purpose of the injury perceived was
all done correctly and within reason. I learned how an evaluation was all put together
since it was the first full evaluation I was able to observe. I didn’t get to watch them do
any neurological tests so that could have been done differently.
Assignment 3 – Knee
1. What was the mechanism of injury?
The injury was in a right knee of a male football player. He had planted his foot and his
ankle everted causing his knee to go towards the side and his knee was the first thing to
hit the ground as he went down to the ground. It was a Varus force, with sideways and
forward motions. He didn’t hear any sounds and was able to continue to play. His pain
was a 2 out of 10 but was a 5 out of 10 when it had happened. He has pain going up steps
and running, and has a “crunchy feeling”
2. Was there any noticeable swelling, deformity, or discoloration?
There was no deformity, no swelling, but some redness and some scratches associated
with the fall he sustained on the field. There was no real discoloration besides the slight
irritated redness.
3. Was the patient limping?
No the patients gait was normal.
4. How was the patients range of motion?

AROM – full within normal limits

PROM- full within normal limits

RROM- pain with flexion, slight pain with extention, weaker on effected leg.
5. What muscles were tested and what was the grade 0-5?

Knee Flexion – 4/5

Evertyhing else- 5/5 within normal limits
6. What ligaments and or special tests were done? What was the result of each?

Lochmanns – (-)

Valgus Stress Test (-)

Varus Stress Test (+) pain on lateral side at 20 degrees

Anterior Drawer (-)

Posterior Drawer (-)

Patellar Apprehension (-)

Grind Test – no pain

McMurrays Test- crepitus, slight pain

Bounce Home – no pain

Childress- positive for pain when squatting down
7. What neurological tests were performed? With what results?
No numbness or tingling, no tests were really performed
8. Comment on the evaluation. What do you think was performed correctly? What
could have been done better? What did you learn from observing the evaluation?
The injury ended up being an LCL and meniscus sprain, and rehab was going to
performed to strengthen it so he doesn’t lead to a tear. They were going to Ice it and tape
it for his games and practices to add more support. I thought the evaluation was done
very well, it took a long time because they wanted to make sure to rule out all knee
injuries for the best outcome for this patient.
Assignment 4 – Hip
1. What was the mechanism of injury?
We had to do a mock evaluation due to the fact I did not get to witness a hip evaluation
while I was doing my two weeks. The sport was a female fencing athlete, and it was her
right hip. It was chronic pain, getting more painful with every day. She could not recall
the mechanism of the injurt, however, her hip clicks when she walks and her pain was a 4
out of 10. It hurts when she goes up and down stairs.
2. Was there any noticeable swelling, deformity, or discoloration?
No swelling, discoloration, or deformity.
3. Was the patient limping?
No limping, normal gait.
4. How was the patients range of motion?

AROM- no pain with flex/ext, pain with abduction

PROM- some pain in extention, no pain with flexion, pain with adduction
5. What muscles were tested and what was the grade 0-5?

Rectus Femoris – 5/5

Iliacis – 5/5

Gluteus minimus – 5/5

Gluteus medius – 4/5

Gluteus Maximus- 5/5
6. What ligaments and special tests were performed? What was the result of each?

SI compression (-)

SI distraction (-)

Fabers (+)

Scouring (+)

Ganslens (-)

Thomas (-)

Long-sit (-)

True Leg Length (-)

Trendelenbergs (-)
7. What neurological tests were performed? With what results?
Within normal limits, no tests were done.
8. Comment on the evaluation. What do you think was performed correctly? What
could have been done better? What did you learn from observing the evaluation?
The injury was a lebrel Tear. This really helped me put into perspective a hip evaluation
because we were just beginning the hip when I watched this evaluation so it was teaching
me how the test were supposed to look and what to test for when doing anything for the
hip. It was a mock evaluation so it was a shame that I wasn’t able to actually see how
each test would really effected an injured person.