Shoulder Orthopaedic Test: Painful Arc

Painful Arc is a test used to identify possible subacromial impingement syndrome, which is a common condition that causes pain and limited range of motion in the shoulder.

Procedure:

1. Ask the patient to stand upright with their arms relaxed at their sides.
2. Instruct the patient to slowly abduct their arms in the scapular plane (30-45 degrees in front of the coronal plane) from 0 to 180 degrees.
3. Observe the patient's movements for any pain or discomfort.
4. Ask the patient to point to the location of their pain if they experience any.
5. Then, ask the patient to slowly lower their arms back to their sides.
6. Repeat the test on the other arm.

If the patient experiences pain or discomfort between approximately 60-120 degrees of abduction, it is considered a positive test for subacromial impingement syndrome.

References:

1. Jobe FW, Moynes DR. Delineation of diagnostic criteria and a rehabilitation program for rotator cuff injuries. Am J Sports Med. 1982;10(6):336-339. doi:10.1177/036354658201000602
2. Lewis JS. Rotator cuff tendinopathy: a review. Man Ther. 2015;20(1):3-9. doi:10.1016/j.math.2014.09.005
3. Michener LA, McClure PW, Karduna AR. Anatomical and biomechanical mechanisms of subacromial impingement syndrome. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). 2003;18(5):369-379. doi:10.1016/s0268-0033(03)00047-0