The Kim Test is a shoulder orthopaedic test commonly used to assess posterior shoulder symptom provocation and posterior-inferior labral involvement. It is typically used in people with posterior shoulder pain, instability symptoms or painful clicking during shoulder movement. This article explains ...
The Inferior Sulcus Test is used to assess the glenohumeral joint for inferior instability. Here are the steps to perform the test:
- Position the patient standing or sitting with their arm at their side.
- Grasp the patient's elbow with one hand and their wrist with the other hand.
- Apply a downwar...
The Internal Rotation Lag Sign assesses whether a client can maintain a passively placed shoulder internal rotation position, commonly with the hand behind the back. A positive finding is inability to hold the position, visible lag, weakness or symptom reproduction. A 2022 systematic review and meta...
The Hara Test is a multi-item assessment used in throwing athletes to screen shoulder, scapular and upper-limb kinetic chain findings that may relate to throwing symptoms. It should be treated as a structured clinical screen rather than a diagnostic test. Current overhead athlete literature supports...
Hornblower’s Sign assesses whether the client can externally rotate the shoulder when the arm is elevated or abducted. A positive finding may include inability to hold external rotation, dropping into internal rotation, weakness or familiar posterior shoulder symptoms. Current shoulder examination e...
The Hawkins-Kennedy Test assesses shoulder pain response during passive shoulder flexion and internal rotation. It is often used in subacromial pain and rotator cuff-related shoulder pain assessment, but it does not identify one specific compressed structure. A 2024 systematic review found the evide...
Gerber’s Test, or the Lift-Off Test, assesses whether the client can lift the hand away from the lower back against gravity or resistance. A positive finding may include inability to lift off, weakness, compensation or familiar pain compared with the other side. A 2022 systematic review and meta-ana...
The Full Can Test assesses pain and strength during resisted shoulder elevation in the scapular plane with the thumb pointing up. It is often used in rotator cuff-related shoulder assessment, but it does not isolate the supraspinatus or diagnose a rotator cuff tear on its own. Contemporary shoulder ...
The Empty Can Test assesses pain and strength during resisted shoulder elevation in scaption with the shoulder internally rotated. It is commonly used in supraspinatus or rotator cuff-related assessment, but it does not isolate the supraspinatus or diagnose a tear on its own. A 2020 JOSPT commentary...
The Biceps Load II Test assesses whether resisted elbow flexion in an abducted and externally rotated shoulder position reproduces or increases shoulder pain that may be associated with the superior labrum and biceps anchor. A positive test may increase suspicion of SLAP or biceps-labral complex inv...
The Crank Test assesses whether axial loading and rotation of the elevated shoulder reproduces deep pain, catching, clicking or mechanical symptoms that may be associated with labral involvement. A positive finding may increase suspicion when it reproduces familiar deep shoulder symptoms, but it doe...
The drop arm test is a physical examination maneuver used to assess for full-thickness rotator cuff tears. It is performed by asking the patient to actively lift their arm to shoulder level, then slowly lower it back down to their side. If the patient is unable to smoothly lower their arm or experie...
