The patella is already in contact with the bone; there is no sensation of floating or clicking.
The patient lies flat (supine) with the leg fully extended and relaxed. ballottement
(from the French ballotter , meaning "to toss about") is a medical physical examination technique used to detect floating objects within a fluid-filled cavity. It is most commonly applied in orthopedics to check for knee swelling, in obstetrics to assess pregnancy, and in general medicine to evaluate abdominal organs. 1. Patellar Ballottement (Knee Effusion Test) The patella is already in contact with the
The clinician inserts two fingers into the vagina and gives a sharp upward tap against the lower segment of the uterus. If the fetus is present and not yet engaged in the pelvis, it will float upward and then fall back, tapping against the clinician’s fingers. It is most commonly applied in orthopedics to
The patella feels like it is "floating." You will feel it move through fluid, click against the femur, and then rebound or "ballotte" back toward your finger.