Which PFPS test uses the eccentric step down maneuver?

• A. Thessaly
• B. Pain with squatting
• C. McMurray
• D. Eccentric step down test

Answer: (D)

Patellofemoral pain syndrome tests rely on provoking the load and stress patterns that irritate the patellofemoral joint. The eccentric step-down test is the one that uses the eccentric step-down maneuver, meaning you control the descent from a step with the knee bending while the quadriceps lengthens. This position increases patellofemoral joint compression and shear forces as the knee flexes, which often reproduces the anterior knee pain characteristic of PFPS. The other tests target different structures or loading patterns: the Thessaly test stresses dynamic rotation and meniscal structures during weight bearing; pain with squatting elicits PFPS symptoms but does not specifically employ an eccentric descent; and McMurray focuses on meniscal tears rather than the patellofemoral joint.