A good mnemonic to remember: “Eating Fried Chicken makes ABs ADd Inches Definitely” Steps: Know the exact order! Shoulder extension with elbow flexed Doctors cephalad hand stabilizes the acromioclaviular + scapulothoracic joints to prevent their motion = isolates the glenohumeral joint Shoulder flexion with elbow extended Doctor continues to stabilize […]
Category: Shoulder
11 posts
Used to assess for acromioclavicular joint pathology Steps Physician passively places the arm into 90 degrees of forward flexion and adducts the arm until fully adducted across the chest with monitoring the AC joint with the other hand. The examiner may then gently add additional medially direcected force to further stress the […]
Used to determine labral, acromioclavicular (AC), or other anterior shoulder pathology Steps: Part one: Patient forward flexes the arm with the elbow extended. The patient then internally rotates the arm so THE THUMB IS POINTING DOWN. The patient then adducts the arm 5-10 degrees and resists the downward force applied by the […]
Used to determine active range of motion of the shoulder Steps: Patient may be seated or standing Ask the patient to first reach behind their back to try and reach the opposite shoulder 2. Next, have the patient reach across their chest to grab the other shoulder from the front. 3. […]
Used to detect tears in the rotator cuff muscles, particularly the supraspinatus Steps: Option 1 Patient fully abducts the arm, then is instructed to slowly lower the arm Test is considered to be positive if: patient’s arm with drop suddenly during the lowering of the arm (adduction back to the midline). Option […]
Used to assess whether or not the biceps tendon is stable within the groove, as well as for the presence of biceps tendinopathies Steps: Patient flexes the elbow to 90 degrees Examiner holds the elbow of the arm being tested in one hand, and with the other the physician externally rotates the arm and […]
Used to test for biceps tendinopathy Steps: Test is considered to be positive with pain at the shoulder/biceps tendon Video Tutorial:
Used to determine the integrity of the supraspinatus tendon Steps: Patient seated, physician standing Physician flexes patient’s shoulder and elbow 90° Physician internally rotates shoulder making sure it remains straight Test is considered to be positive if: pain upon internal rotation – indicates shoulder impingement
Used to test for supraspinatus or biceps brachii impingement Steps: With the patient’s arm forward flexed to 90 degrees and internally rotated so that the thumb is pointing downward, the examiner instructs the patient to continue flexion up toward the ceiling against physician resistance. Test is considered to be positive if: […]
Used to test for chronic anterior shoulder instability Steps: The examiner stands behind the patient and with one hand places the patient’s arm into abduction and external rotation. With the other hand the patient contacts the posterior shoulder and pushes anterior Test is considered to be positive if: the patient reports pain or a feeling of impending dislocation
Used to determine weakness of the Serratus Anterior Serratus Anterior Innervation: Long thoracic nerve, C5-7 Steps: Examiner instructs patient to place their hands at chest height against a wall and to push forward Test is considered to be Positive if scapula lifts off of the thoracic cage
