Shoulder special tests

Question 1

PAINFUL ARC?
Purpose?
pt position?
pt actions?
Positive?

Answer 1

1. TEST FOR THE PRESENCE OF SUBACROMIAL IMPINGEMENT.
2. PATIENT CAN BE SITTING OR STANDING.
3. INSTRUCT THE PATIENT TO ACTIVELY ELEVATE THE ARM IN THE SCAPULAR PLANE THEN SLOWLY REVERSE THE MOTION.
4. POSITIVE IF THE PATIENT HAS PAIN BETWEEN 60- 120 DEGREES OF SCAPTION DURING ELEVATION.

Question 2

APREHENTION/RELOCATION TEST?
Purpose?
pt position?
PTA actions?
Positive?

Answer 2

1. TO ASSESS FOR ANTERIOR INSTABILITY OF THE GLENOHUMERAL JOINT CAPSULE.
2. PATIENT SHOULD BE SUPINE.
3. THE EXAMINER FLEXES THE PATIENT’S ELBOW TO 90 DEGREEES AND ABDUCTS THEIR SHOULDER TO 90 DEGREES.
   THE EXAMINER THEN SLOWLY EXTERNALLY ROTATES THE PATIENTS SHOULDER. THE TEST IS CONSIDRED 4. POSITIVE IF THE PATIENT DEMONSTRATES APPRENENSION DURING SHOULDER EXTERNAL ROTATION.

Question 3

EMPTY CAN/ FULL CAN TEST?
Purpose?
pt position?
PTA actions?
Positive?

Answer 3

1. TO TEST THE INTEGRITY OF THE SUPRASPINATUS MM OR TENDON.
2. THE PATIENT IS TESTED AT 90 DEGREES ELEVATION IN THE SCAPULA PLANE AND FULL INTERNAL ROTATION (EMPTY CAN), OR 45 DEGREES EXTERNAL ROTATION (FULL CAN).
3. PATIENT IS TO RESIST DOWNWARD PRESSURE EXERTED BY EXAMINER AT PATIENTS ELBOW OR WRIST.
4. WEAKNESS AND OR PAIN WOULD INDICATE A POSITIVE TEST.

Question 4

ANTERIOR DRAWER TEST (SHOULDER)?
Purpose?
pt position?
PTA hand placement?
PTA actions?
Positive?

Answer 4

1. TO TEST FOR ANTERIOR SHOULDER INSTABILITY.
2. PATIENT IS TO BE SUPINE WITH THE GLENOHUMERAL JOINT POSITIONED AT THE EDGE OF THE TABLE.
3. EXAMINER PLACES ONE HAND AROUND THE HUMERUS BELOW THE SUTGICAL NECK, THE OTHER HAND STABILIZES THE SCAPULA BY PLACING THE FINGERS BEHIND THE PT ON THE SPINE OF THE SCAPULA AND THE THUMB OVER THE CORACOID PROCESS.
4. PATIENT IS RELAXED WHILE THE EXAMINER PASSIVELY ABDUCTS THE GLENOHUMERAL JOINT 70-80 DEGREES, FORWARD FLEXES 0-10 DEGREES, AND EXTERNALLY ROTATES 0-10 DEGREES. EXAMINER STABILIZEES THE SCAPULA AND FIRMLY GLIDES THE HEAD OF THE HUMERUS ANTERIORLY WHILE APPLYING SLIGHT DISTRACTION TO THE GLENOHUMERAL JOINT.
5. INCREASED ANTERIOR TRANSLATION OF THE HUMERAL HEAD RESULTS IN A POSITIVE TEST.

Question 5

KENNEDY/HAWKINS?
Purpuse?
pt position?
PTA hand placement?
PTA actions?
Positive?

Answer 5

1. TO TEST FOR POSSIBLE SHOULDER IMPINGEMENT OF THE SUPRASPONATUS OR LONG HEAD OF THE BICEPS BRACHII TENDON.
2. PATIENT IS SITTING OR STANDING WITH UPPER EXTREMITIES RELAXED.
3. EXAMINER GRASPS THE PATIENT’S ELBOW WITH ONE HAND AND THE PATIENT’S WRIST WITH THE OTHER HAND.
4. EXAMINER FORWARD FLEXES THE SHOULDER TO 90 DEGREES AND THEN INTERNALLY ROTATES THE PATIENT’S SHOULDER.
5. PAIN AND APPREHENSION DURING THE MOTION WOULD YIELD A
   POSITIVE TEST.

Question 6

DROP ARM TEST?
Purpose?
pt position and actions?
positive?

Answer 6

1. TO TEST FOR A ROTATOR CUFF PATHOLOGY. 2. PATIENT IS SITTING OR STANDING WITH THE INVOLVED ARM FULLY ABDUCTED PATIENT THEN SLOWLY LOWERS THE ARM BACK TO THEIR SIDE.
2. A POSITIVE TEST IS WHEN THE PATIENT IS UNABLE TO SLOWLY RETURN THE ARM TO THE SIDE AND OR HAS SIGNIFICANT PAIN WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PERFORM THE TASK.