A boggy end-feel with passive knee extension MOST likely indicates which condition?

• A. Arthritis
• B. Hemarthrosis
• C. Meniscal displacement
• D. Patellofemoral syndrome

Answer: (B)

A boggy end-feel during passive knee extension signals joint effusion—the joint is distended with fluid, giving a soft, sponge-like endpoint instead of a firm stop. When this fluid is blood from an acute injury, it’s called hemarthrosis. The presence of a soft, compressible end-feel as you extend the knee fits with blood accumulating in the joint, whereas other conditions tend to produce different end-feels: a displaced meniscal tissue often creates a springy, block-like sensation; patellofemoral pain tends to cause pain and crepitus rather than a soft, boggy endpoint; arthritis can cause swelling but isn’t characteristically described by a boggy end-feel from acute effusion.