The Adduction (Varus) stress test evaluates which ligament?

The Adduction (Varus) stress test is specifically designed to evaluate the integrity of the Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL). During this test, the examiner applies a force that stresses the lateral aspect of the knee joint, thereby assessing the stability provided by the LCL.

The LCL is crucial for preventing excessive varus stress, which would be a force directed inward towards the midline of the body. If the ligament is injured or lax, this test would elicit pain or increased joint laxity, indicating that there is an issue with the structural integrity of the LCL.

Understanding the roles of the other ligaments is important but in this context, the Adduction (Varus) stress test is focused solely on the assessment of the LCL, which responds to varus forces. The other ligaments have different stress tests associated with them, such as the Valgus stress test for the Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL), and thus are not relevant to this particular examination of the knee's stability.