Swain Test

What is the "Swain Test" used for?

• Integrity of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) complex of the knee

How to perform the "Swain Test"?

• The patient sits on the examining table with knees flexed to 90°, legs hanging freely over the edge.
• First, the examiner passively applies lateral rotation of the tibia on the femur in the uninjured (good) leg to establish a baseline response.
• The same movement is then performed on the injured leg.
• The movement should be smooth and pain-free on the healthy side. The key diagnostic value comes from comparing the injured side to the normal baseline.

What is the positive result?

A test is considered positive when the patient reports:

• Pain along the medial joint line
• Localized tenderness at the MCL or posteromedial structures.