Special tests Flashcards
Yergason’s test
PURPOSE- Integrity of transverse ligament
DESCRIPTION- Patient sitting with elbow flexed to 90° and
stabilized against the thorax and with the forearm
pronated. Resist the supination of forearm and external
rotation of shoulder
RESULT- Tendon of long head of biceps will pop out of the
groove. Tenderness in the bicipital groove alone without the
dislocation may indicate bicipital paratenonitis/tendinosis
Speed’s test
PURPOSE- Identify bicipital tendinosis/ tendinopathy
DESCRIPTION- Upper limb in full extension and forearm
supinated, resist shoulder flexion. Alternate – place
shoulder in 90 degree flexion and push upper limb into
extension
RESULT- Pain in long head of biceps tendon/ increased
tenderness in the bicipital groove
Neer’s impingement testing
PURPOSE- For impingement of supraspinatus and
biceps tendon
DESCRIPTION- The patient’s arm is passively and
forcibly fully elevated in the scapular plane with the arm
medially rotated by the examiner. This passive stress
causes the greater tuberosity to jam against the
anteroinferior border of the acromion
RESULT- (+) Reproduces symptoms of pain in the shoulder
region
Empty Can/ Jobe test
PURPOSE- Identify tear/ impingement of supraspinatus
tendon or suprascapular nerve neuropathy
DESCRIPTION- The patient’s arm is abducted to 90°
with neutral (no) rotation, and the examiner provides
resistance to abduction. The shoulder is then medially
rotated and angled forward 30° (“empty can” position)
so that the patient’s thumbs point toward the floor in the
plane of the scapula. Differentiate if pain is present
between two positions
RESULT- Reproduces pain in supraspinatus tendon
or weakness in empty can position
Drop Arm Test
PURPOSE- Also known as Codman’s test. Identify tear/
full rupture of rotator cuff
DESCRIPTION- The examiner abducts the patient’s
shoulder to 90° and then asks the patient to slowly
lower the arm to the side in the same arc of movement
RESULT- A positive test is indicated if the patient
is unable to return the arm to the side slowly or
has severe pain when attempting to do so
Posterior internal impengement test
RPOSE- To identify impingement between rotator
cuff and greater tuberosity or posterior glenoid and labrum
DESCRIPTION- The patient is placed in the supine
lying position. The examiner passively abducts the
shoulder to 90° to 110°, with 15° to 20° extension and
maximum lateral rotation
RESULT- Reproduction of pain in posterior shoulder
during test
Hawkins-kennedy Impingement test
PURPOSE: Identify sub-acromial impingement
DESCRIPTION: The arm of the patient is passively flexed up to 90 degrees in the
plane of the scapula. The arm is stabilized and the forearm is forced into IR
RESULT: Pain indicates a positive test for supraspinatus paratenonitis/tendinosis or
secondary impingement
The Yocum test is a modification of this test in which the
patient’s hand is placed on the opposite shoulder and the
examiner elevates the elbow. Pain indicates a positive test
Horn blowers sign (patte test)
PURPOSE: To detect Rotator cuff tears involving the teres minor
DESCRIPTION: The test is performed with the patient in the sitting or standing
position. The patient’s arm is supported at 90 degrees of abduction in the scapular
plane, with the elbow flexed to 90 degrees. The patient is then asked to rotate the
forearm externally against the resistance of the clinician’s hand.
RESULT: . If the patient is unable to externally rotate the shoulder in this position, the
horn-blower’s sign is said to be present
Active compression test of O’briens
PURPOSE: To detect SLAP (Type II) or superior labral lesions
DESCRIPTION: Two-part test. The patient stands with his or her involved shoulder at
90 degrees of flexion, 10 degrees of horizontal adduction, and maximum IR with the
elbow in extension. In this position, the patient then resists a downward force applied
by the clinician to the distal arm. The test is then repeated in the same manner
except that the arm is positioned in maximum ER.
RESULT: If pain on the joint line or painful clicking is produced inside the shoulder
(not over the acromioclavicular joint) in the first part of the test and eliminated or
decreased in the second part, the test is
considered positive for labral abnormalities.
Biceps load test
PURPOSE: To check the integrity of the superior labrum.
DESCRIPTION: The patient is supine or seated with the shoulder abducted to 120°
and laterally rotated with the elbow flexed to 90° and the forearm supinated. The
examiner performs an apprehension test on the patient by taking the arm into full
lateral rotation. If apprehension appears, the examiner stops lateral rotation and
holds the position. The patient is then asked to flex the elbow against the examiner’s
resistance at the wrist.
RESULT: If apprehension decreases or the patient
feels more comfortable, the test is negative for a
SLAP lesion. If the apprehension remains the same
or the shoulder becomes more painful, the test is
considered positive for SLAP lesions
lateral rotation lag sign
PURPOSE: To test the teres minor and infraspinatus. Also known as Infraspinatus
“Spring Back” Test.
DESCRIPTION: The patient is seated or in standing position with the arm by the side
and the elbow flexed to 90°. The examiner passively abducts the arm to 90° in the
scapular plane, laterally rotates the shoulder to end range and asks the patient to
hold it
RESULT: For a positive test, the patient cannot hold the position and the hand
springs back anteriorly toward midline, indicating infraspinatus and teres minor
cannot hold the position due to weakness or
pain
Lift off sign (Gerber’s test)
PURPOSE- To detect a lesion of the subscapularis muscle
DESCRIPTION- The patient places the dorsum of the hand on his back pocket or
against the mid-lumbar spine. (Great subscapularis activity is shown with the second
position). The patient then lifts the hand away from the back.
RESULT- An inability to do so indicates a lesion of the subscapularis muscle.
Jerk Test
PURPOSE: To test recurrent posterior instability
DESCRIPTION: The patient sits with the arm medially rotated and forward flexed to
90°. The examiner grasps the patient’s elbow and axially loads the humerus in a
proximal direction. While maintaining the axial loading, the examiner moves the arm
horizontally across the body
RESULT: A positive test is the production of a sudden jerk or clunk as the humeral
head slides off (subluxes) the back of the glenoid. When
the arm is returned to the original 90° abduction position,
a second jerk may be felt as the head reduces.
Sulcus sign
PURPOSE: To test for inferior shoulder instability
DESCRIPTION: The patient stands with the arm by the side and shoulder muscles
relaxed. The examiner grasps the patient’s forearm below the elbow and pulls the
arm distally
RESULT: The presence of a sulcus sign may indicate inferior instability or
glenohumeral laxity but should only be considered positive for instability if the patient
is symptomatic
Halstead Maneuver
PURPOSE: Identify pathology of structures that pass through thoracic inlet
DESCRIPTION: The examiner finds the radial pulse and applies a downward traction
on the test extremity while the patient’s neck is hyperextended and the head is
rotated to the opposite side
RESULT: Absence or disappearance of a pulse indicates
a positive test for thoracic outlet syndrome.
Clunk test
PURPOSE- Identifies glenoid labrum tear
DESCRIPTION- Patient is supine, with shoulder in full abduction. Push humeral head
anteriorly, while rotating humerus externally
RESULT- Audible clunk is heard while performing test
Anterior apprehension/ crank test
PURPOSE- Identify past anterior dislocation of shoulder
DESCRIPTION- Patient supine, the examiner abducts the arm to 90° and laterally
rotates the patient’s shoulder slowly. By placing a hand under the glenohumeral joint
to act as a fulcrum, the apprehension test becomes the fulcrum test
RESULT- Patient does not allow or does not like to move shoulder into that direction
to simulate anterior dislocation
posterior apprehension test
PURPOSE- To identify past history of posterior
shoulder dislocation
DESCRIPTION- Patient supine/ sitting. The examiner
elevates the patient’s shoulder in the plane of the
scapula to 90° while stabilizing the scapula with the
other hand, then applies a posterior force on the patient’s
elbow. While applying the axial load, the examiner
horizontally adducts and medially rotates the arm.
RESULT- Patient does not allow or does not
like to move shoulder into that direction to simulate
posterior dislocation
Avromioclavicular shear test
PURPOSE- Identifies dysfunction of AC joint
such as arthritis, separation
DESCRIPTION- With the patient in the sitting
position, the examiner cups his or her hands
over the deltoid muscle with one hand on the
clavicle and one hand on the spine of the
scapula. The examiner then squeezes the heels
of the hands together
RESULT- Reproduces pain in AC joint
Adson’s test
URPOSE- Identify pathology of structures that
pass through thoracic inlet
DESCRIPTION-The examiner locates the radial
pulse. The patient’s head is rotated to face the
test shoulder. The patient then extends the head
while the examiner laterally rotates and extends
the patient’s shoulder. The patient is instructed to
take a deep breath and hold it.
RESULT- A disappearance of the pulse
indicates a positive test.
COstoclavicular syndrome (military brace) test
Identify pathology of structures that
pass through thoracic inlet
DESCRIPTION-The examiner palpates the radial
pulse and then draws the patient’s shoulder down
and back
RESULT- A positive test is indicated by an absence
of the pulse and implies possible thoracic outlet
syndrome (costoclavicular syndrome). This test is
particularly effective in patients who complain of
symptoms while wearing a backpack or heavy coat.
Wright (Hyperabduction) test
PURPOSE- Identify pathology of structures that
pass through thoracic inlet
DESCRIPTION- Patient sitting, locate radial pulse
of the extremity being tested. Move shoulder into
maximum abduction and external rotation.
Taking deep breath and rotating head opposite to
test site may accentuate symptoms.
RESULT- Neurological/ vascular symptoms
(disappearance of pulse) will be reproduced
