Dear Physio88

First of all let me congratulate you on your new post. I believe MSK physiotherapy to be on of the most challenging aspects of physiotherapy as it requires a sound knowledge of anatomy, a very sharp clinical reasoning ability and the ability to also think laterally. The problem is this requires speed as patients expect to have a quick solution to their problems since the majority of them are able to walk into the clinic.

I dont think knowing any specific tests will be helpful as opposed to clinically reasoning when to apply these tests, how accurately you can perform and decode the results of this tests. It is a good idea to have a pocket book, I feel this would be more appropriate to the intermediate practitioner who has had some experience but needs refreshing every once in a while.

To be able to work in outpatients MSK one needs a huge domain of conditions mentally, patterns that are easily recognisable and this only comes with experience( truly there is no other way). What I am saying is the ability to sieve out information from what a patient says to focus on what might be the problem and/or to be able to recognise a pattern to a problem simply because you have seen or heard it before. then you can apply a test to either confirm or rule out what you are thinking in your head...
Even if you knew all the tests possible in the field of MSK and you cannot recognise these patterns, then it is useless, you would peform the tests and not know what they mean.

I think the best way to go is not to be far fom your senior colleagues...i would suggest bothering them over and over and over again...everytime you see a condition, tap from how they address these conditions, ask the questions as to why? if you have good superior colleagues then thats a blessing because they would be happy to impart some knowledge.

I find that most people who start a new post are eager to show that they know...this would be the disadvantage for you because the reality is you are new, accept this an you will learn more, act like you know and you will not become skilled and knowledgeable...

Forget tests, stick to your superior colleagues and learn from them.

cheers