A comparison of seated vs. supine positioning when testing for ankle instability

Purpose: To evaluate whether patient positioning specifically seated versus supine impacts the clinical diagnosis of ankle instability during physical examination.Methods: An observational study of 20 patients with suspected ankle instability was conducted. Each patient underwent the ankle drawer test and the talar tilt test in both supine and seated positions.Results: Clinical examinations performed in the seated position, where the ankle hangs against gravity, yielded a higher rate of positive findings for both the anterior drawer and talar tilt tests compared to the supine position.Conclusion: Seated positioning accentuates clinical signs of instability. Clinicians should consider examining patients in both positions to improve diagnostic accuracy.