Bancroft's sign explained

Differential:	deep vein thrombosis

Bancroft's sign, also known as Moses' sign,^[1] is a clinical sign found in patients with deep vein thrombosis of the lower leg involving the posterior tibial veins. The sign is positive if pain is elicited when the calf muscle is compressed forwards against the tibia, but not when the calf muscle is compressed from side to side.^[2] Like other clinical signs for deep vein thrombosis, such as Homans sign and Lowenberg's sign, this sign is neither sensitive nor specific for the presence of thrombosis.^[3]

Notes and References

1. MOSES WR . The early diagnosis of phlebothrombosis . N. Engl. J. Med. . 234 . 9. 288–91 . February 1946 . 21016458 . 10.1056/NEJM194602282340902.
2. Book: Nicos Labropoulos, Gerard Stansby . Venous and Lymphatic Diseases . Chapter 7: Clinical Assessment of Venous Disease . 2006 . Informa Health Care . 978-0-8247-2923-3 . 85.
3. Book: Sanjay Rajagopalan, Debabrata Mukherjee, Emile R. Mohler . Manual of Vascular Diseases . 2004 . Lippincott Williams & Wilkins . 978-0-7817-4499-7 . 258 . Chapter 18: History, Physical Examination, and Diagnostic Approach.