O’Brien’s test: How to perform and interpret the result
Shoulder pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal presentations in practice. Two of its structural causes, SLAP lesions and acromioclavicular joint pathology, produce symptoms that overlap heavily. History alone rarely separates them. O’Brien’s test was described in 1998 to answer exactly that question. It takes under two minutes, needs no equipment, and separates intra-articular […]
ICD-10 Code M45.8: Ankylosing spondylitis of the sacral region
ICD-10 Code M45.8: Definition, billable status, and FY 2026 validity ICD-10 Code M45.8 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code. Its official long descriptor is “Ankylosing spondylitis of sacral and sacrococcygeal region.” The code is valid for HIPAA-covered transactions throughout fiscal year 2026. That runs from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026, as confirmed by […]
Lateral pivot shift test: How to perform, grade, and interpret
Most ACL clinical tests tell you whether the ligament is torn. They do not tell you how much rotational instability came with the tear. That is what makes the lateral pivot shift test irreplaceable. Introduced by MacIntosh and Galway in 1972, it remains the only widely used clinical test that reproduces what patients describe from […]
Drop jump test: Protocol, metrics, and results interpretation
Most practices running jump assessments collect the data, then lose it. Results get scrawled on a clipboard, typed into a spreadsheet nobody shares, and measured against population averages instead of the athlete’s own history. The drop jump test is worth more than that. Run properly, it gives sports medicine practitioners and physical therapists an objective […]
BBQ roll maneuver: Step-by-step guide for horizontal canal BPPV
What is the BBQ roll maneuver? The BBQ roll maneuver is a canalith repositioning procedure used to treat geotropic horizontal canal BPPV, or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Clinicians also call it the Lempert roll, the barbecue roll, and occasionally the log roll. Outside the US you will see it written as the barbecue roll manoeuvre, […]
Bicep tear test: Hook test, Yergason’s, and when to use each
A patient lifts a heavy box, feels a pop at the front of the elbow, and turns up two days later with bruising. One question decides everything that follows. Is the biceps tendon still attached? A bicep tear test answers that at the bedside, before anyone books imaging. The catch is that the phrase covers […]
ICD-10 code S52.131R: Displaced fracture of neck of right radius
ICD-10 code S52.131R: Quick reference S52.131R is a specific, billable ICD-10-CM code. The table below holds every detail a coder needs before working through the supporting sections. Field Detail Code S52.131R Full description Displaced fracture of neck of right radius, subsequent encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC with malunion Code system ICD-10-CM […]
Drop arm test: Procedure, interpretation, and diagnostic accuracy
The drop arm test checks whether the rotator cuff can control the arm as it lowers from 90 degrees of abduction. If the arm drops instead of descending smoothly, the test is positive. That points hard at a full-thickness supraspinatus tear. What the test cannot do is rule a tear out. Specificity sits at 88-96%, […]
Cardiopulmonary exercise testing: How to read CPET results
What is cardiopulmonary exercise testing and why does it matter? Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) measures cardiovascular, pulmonary, and skeletal muscle function at once, during a rising workload on a cycle ergometer or treadmill. It matters because it shows which system fails under load. No resting test can do that. Referrals use several names for the […]
1 Minute heart rate recovery chart by age
Download your free 1 minute heart rate recovery chart by age A recording and reference sheet for heart rate recovery testing. It gives you fields for peak heart rate and the 1-minute and 2-minute readings. It also carries the validated interpretation thresholds and the age-referenced medians reported in published cohorts. Download template Anyone looking for […]