Supine roll test: How to perform and interpret results
Physical therapists working with dizzy patients know this scenario well: the Dix-Hallpike is negative, yet the patient still reports positional vertigo with head turns in bed. That is where the supine roll test earns its place, used to diagnose horizontal (lateral) semicircular canal BPPV. Also called the supine head roll test or Pagnini-McClure maneuver, it […]
Bragard’s test
What is Bragard’s test? Bragard’s test, also called Bragard’s sign or Braggard’s test, is a clinical orthopedic examination used to assess lumbar radiculopathy and sciatic nerve involvement. The test builds on the straight leg raise (SLR) by adding a specific ankle dorsiflexion maneuver to increase neural tension and sensitize the examination to nerve root pathology. […]
Hand elevation test: How to perform, interpret, and compare
Most clinicians reach for Phalen’s test by default when they suspect carpal tunnel syndrome. Yet one of the best-performing provocative tests in the CTS toolkit rarely gets the same attention. The hand elevation test delivers a specificity of approximately 98.5% in its original validation study, making false positives far less likely than with Phalen’s or […]
Illinois Agility Test: Protocol, norms, and scoring guide
Coaches and rehabilitation clinicians need a way to measure how fast an athlete can change direction, and the Illinois Agility Test has been the standard field answer since 1979. This guide covers the exact course setup, the step-by-step protocol, how to score a trial, and the one validated normative table that exists for it. Should […]
ICD-10 Code M18.0: Bilateral primary osteoarthritis of the thumb (CMC) joints
ICD-10 Code M18.0: Quick reference M18.0 is a billable ICD-10-CM code for bilateral primary osteoarthritis of the first carpometacarpal (thumb basal) joints. It sits within the Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue chapter and requires no additional character extensions. The table below summarizes the key code attributes coders need before submitting a claim. […]
Foot stress fracture test: How to test at home
No single foot stress fracture test confirms the diagnosis on its own. Practitioners combine point tenderness, a single-leg hop test, and a tuning fork test. They then match the result to the bone involved before ordering imaging. That layered stress fracture foot test approach exists because early X-rays miss most stress fractures. As a result, […]
Manual muscle testing: Grades, technique, and clinical use
Most physiotherapy students learn the 0-5 scale in their first semester. Applying it consistently is the harder skill, especially at the top of the scale, where the difference between a 4 and a 5 can change a discharge decision. Manual muscle testing is one of the most widely used assessment tools in rehabilitation, sports medicine, […]
Finkelstein test: Procedure, interpretation, and clinical workflow
Radial-sided wrist pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal presentations in physical therapy, sports medicine, and occupational health practices. Without a reliable provocation test, distinguishing De Quervain’s tenosynovitis from intersection syndrome, basilar thumb arthritis, or a scaphoid injury is largely guesswork. The Finkelstein test addresses this directly: a simple, reproducible maneuver that stresses the […]
Deep Oscillation Therapy Template
Download your free deep oscillation therapy protocol template Deep Oscillation Therapy Aftercare Guidelines A comprehensive post-treatment protocol covering patient care instructions, recovery expectations, safety considerations, and activity guidelines to optimize healing outcomes following deep oscillation therapy sessions. Download template Deep oscillation therapy: Clinical reference guide for practitioners Deep oscillation therapy is a non-invasive physical therapy […]
Resisted external derotation test: How to perform and interpret
Lateral hip pain accounts for a substantial share of musculoskeletal presentations in primary care and physical therapy practices, yet it remains one of the most misdiagnosed regions in the body. The resisted external derotation test gives clinicians a fast, reliable bedside tool to determine whether the gluteal tendons are the likely pain source, narrowing the […]