glenohumeral joint, rotator cuff, ROTC, ROTC lesion, shoulder pain, supraspinatus

h1>Purpose

A test used to identify rotator cuff (ROTC) lesions.

Technique

Patient is positioned in sitting.

Patient’s arm is abducted and IR then moved into the scapular plane (arm placed in between shoulder flexion and abduction with the thumb pointing toward the floor).

Clinician asks patient to hold this position and applies resistance to the distal forearm.

Positive

Production of pain or patient unable to hold arm up against resistance.

Interpretation

A positive test indicates a ROTC lesion specifically a supraspinatus lesion.

References

1. Dutton, M. (2008). Orthopaedic: Examination, evaluation, and intervention (2nd ed.). New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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