Orthopedic Tests You Need to Know for NBCE Part II (NMS Diagnosis)

You have spent years learning orthopedic tests. You can probably perform most of them in your sleep. So why does a Part II question about "a positive Yeoman's test" or "pain relieved by cervical distraction" suddenly make your brain go blank?

Because the board isn't asking whether you can do the test. It's asking whether you know what a positive result means, which structure it stresses, and what you would suspect next. That is a different skill, and most students never practice it on purpose.

The good news: orthopedic testing is one of the most learnable parts of NBCE Part II. There is a finite list of classic tests, and each one has a single job. Learn the job, and the questions get much easier.

Below we've put together the high-yield tests by region, the memory hooks we use with our own students, and a quick self-check. If you want the big picture of the exam first, start with our NBCE Part II study guide.

Where Orthopedic Tests Fit on NBCE Part II

According to the NBCE Part II exam page, Part II is a computer-based exam of 255 questions across six domains, given in two sessions. Neuromusculoskeletal (NMS) Diagnosis is in Session 1, alongside General Diagnosis and Diagnostic Imaging.

The official Part II test plan weights NMS Diagnosis at 20% of the exam. Within that domain, the NBCE lists:

Notice the biggest slice: Diagnosis or Clinical Impression. Orthopedic tests rarely appear in isolation. They show up as one clue inside a case, and your job is to connect the clue to the diagnosis. So as you study each test below, always ask: "If this is positive, what's my top suspicion?"

Cervical Spine and Thoracic Outlet Orthopedic Tests

Memory hook: Compression reproduces, distraction relieves. If squeezing the foramen makes it worse and opening it makes it better, think nerve root.

Lumbar Spine, Pelvis and SI Joint Orthopedic Tests

Memory hook: For Trendelenburg, "the sound side sags." The weak gluteus medius is on the leg the patient is standing on.

Extremity Orthopedic Tests: Shoulder, Elbow, Wrist, Knee and Ankle

Shoulder

• Neer's and Hawkins-Kennedy: pain with these maneuvers suggests subacromial (supraspinatus) impingement.
• Drop arm test: arm can't be lowered smoothly from abduction: rotator cuff tear, classically supraspinatus.
• Empty can (supraspinatus) test: weakness or pain: supraspinatus tendinopathy or tear.
• Speed's test: bicipital groove pain with resisted forward flexion: biceps tendinopathy.
• Yergason's test: tendon snaps out of the groove or pain with resisted supination: biceps tendon instability / transverse humeral ligament.
• Apprehension test: apprehension with abduction and external rotation: anterior glenohumeral instability.

Elbow and wrist

• Cozen's test: lateral elbow pain with resisted wrist extension: lateral epicondylitis.
• Golfer's elbow test: medial elbow pain with passive wrist extension / resisted flexion: medial epicondylitis.
• Tinel's at the elbow: tingling into the 4th and 5th fingers: ulnar nerve irritation (cubital tunnel).
• Phalen's and Tinel's at the wrist: median nerve paresthesia: carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Finkelstein's test: pain over the radial styloid with ulnar deviation (thumb tucked in fist): de Quervain's tenosynovitis.
• Allen's test: delayed return of color after releasing one artery: impaired radial or ulnar artery patency.

Knee and ankle

Memory hook: Apley's: Compression = Cartilage (meniscus), Distraction = Ligament. Both start with the patient prone and the knee flexed to 90°.

How to Study Orthopedic Tests Without Memorizing 100 Flashcards

1. Group by question, not by name. Make one list for "nerve root tension," one for "space-occupying lesion," one for "SI joint," one for "thoracic outlet." Boards test the category.
2. Learn the "if positive, then what" step. For every test, write the next logical move: further neuro testing, imaging, or referral.
3. Practice reading cases. A 45-year-old with arm pain that worsens with Spurling's and improves with distraction is a pattern. Once you see the pattern a few times, you stop needing to "remember" it. If your neuro findings are shaky, pair this with our lower limb nerve injuries review.
4. Train on board-style wording. Our breakdown of how NBCE Part II questions are written shows how the NBCE hides a simple concept inside a longer vignette.

Test Yourself: Orthopedic Tests for NBCE Part II

These are original practice questions written by our team, not recalled exam content.

1. A 38-year-old patient has right arm pain into the thumb. Pain increases with lateral flexion and axial compression to the right and is relieved when the examiner lifts the head. What is the most likely source?
   A. Thoracic outlet syndrome
   B. Cervical nerve root compression
   C. Lateral epicondylitis
   D. Carpal tunnel syndrome
2. During a straight leg raise, a patient's leg pain begins at 45°. The leg is lowered slightly until the pain resolves, then the foot is dorsiflexed and the pain returns. Which test was just performed?
   A. Kemp's
   B. Milgram's
   C. Braggard's
   D. Yeoman's
3. Patrick's (FABERE) test produces pain in the groin. Which structure is most implicated?
   A. Hip joint
   B. SI joint
   C. L5 nerve root
   D. Iliotibial band
4. A patient has knee pain during Apley's compression but not distraction. Which structure is most likely involved?
   A. ACL
   B. Medial meniscus or lateral meniscus
   C. MCL
   D. Patellar tendon
5. While standing on the left leg, a patient's right pelvis drops. Which muscle is most likely weak?
   A. Right gluteus medius
   B. Left gluteus medius
   C. Left gluteus maximus
   D. Right iliopsoas

Answers

1. B. Compression reproduces and distraction relieves: classic nerve root/IVF involvement (thumb suggests C6).
2. C. Braggard's adds dorsiflexion after lowering the leg to confirm sciatic nerve involvement.
3. A. Groin pain on FABERE points to the hip joint; posterior pelvic pain points to the SI joint.
4. B. Compression stresses the menisci; pain with distraction would suggest ligament injury.
5. B. A positive Trendelenburg means the stance-side gluteus medius is weak ("the sound side sags").

FAQ: Orthopedic Tests on NBCE Part II

How much of NBCE Part II is orthopedic testing?

The NBCE test plan weights Neuromusculoskeletal Diagnosis at 20% of Part II, and Orthopedic Examination makes up 21% of that domain. Orthopedic findings also appear inside case history and clinical impression questions, so they matter beyond that one subtopic.

Which orthopedic tests are most important for chiropractic boards?

Focus on the classic tests for nerve root tension and compression (SLR, Braggard's, Spurling's, distraction, Kemp's), space-occupying lesions (Valsalva, Milgram's), the SI joint and hip (Patrick's, Gaenslen's, Yeoman's), thoracic outlet (Adson's, Wright's) and the main extremity ligament and tendon tests.

Do I need to know how to perform each test for Part II?

Part II is a written, computer-based exam, so the emphasis is on interpretation: what a positive result means and what you'd do next. Knowing the basic setup helps you recognize a test when the question describes it instead of naming it. Hands-on performance is assessed on Part IV.

What's the best way to memorize orthopedic tests for NBCE Part II?

Group tests by what they detect, attach one memory hook to each group, and practice with case-based questions so you learn to connect a finding to a diagnosis.

Are orthopedic tests also on the SPEC exam?

Physical and NMS examination concepts appear on SPEC as well. If you're a practicing DC, see our post on high-yield NMS and physical exam topics on the SPEC exam.

Pass Part II With a Plan, Not a Pile of Flashcards

You don't need more hours. You need the right material, organized the way the board tests it, and enough practice that the patterns feel familiar.

That's exactly what our NBCE Part II Review Course is built to do. It's self-paced, organized around how the NBCE actually tests, and includes searchable videos and digital study materials, built-in quizzes and full-length practice exams, with 90 days of access starting immediately on any device.

It also comes with our Access Until You PassTM Guarantee: if you meet our Exam Readiness Standards before your exam (complete at least 80% of video lessons and 80% of practice quizzes, average at least 80% on quizzes, and complete the full-length practice exam) and don't pass, we renew your 90 days of access once at no cost.

"The review course exceeded my expectations. Everything felt current, clear and thoughtfully organized. It was the first time board prep felt structured instead of overwhelming."
— Taylor R., Part I & II Review student

Start the Part II Review Course ($499)

Not ready for a full course? Find out where you stand with our full-length, timed NBCE-style Practice Exam ($129), complete with section score breakdowns.

You've got this. — Dr. Nicole and Dr. Rachel

Get free weekly board exam content in your inbox