Supination lift test: Technique, interpretation and TFCC accuracy
The supination lift test is a wrist provocation test used to assess the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) in patients with ulnar-sided wrist pain. Reference sources credit its description to Buterbaugh and colleagues in 1998 and to Magee’s Orthopedic Physical Assessment. The maneuver loads the TFCC in supination and extension, which is why it is taught […]
Shoulder mobility test: How to do it and interpret results
A shoulder mobility test measures how far the shoulder travels through flexion, abduction, and rotation, then sets that result against clinical benchmarks. Three screens cover most of what a non-specialist needs: the Apley scratch test, the Functional Movement Screen, and the wall angel. The reference values are 180° of flexion, 180° of abduction, 60-90° of […]
Box and block test: Procedure, scoring, and normative values
The box and block test is a timed measure of unilateral gross manual dexterity. The patient moves 2.5 cm wooden cubes over a central partition, one hand at a time. The score is the number of blocks that clear the partition in 60 seconds. Mathiowetz and colleagues published the adult norms in 1985, and those […]
Cross arm test: How to perform and interpret it
The cross arm test is an orthopedic provocation test for acromioclavicular (AC) joint pathology. You perform it by passively adducting the patient’s arm across the body at 90 degrees of shoulder flexion. A peer-reviewed study published in PubMed Central reported 67% sensitivity in its own prospective series, tested against diagnostic injection. Earlier retrospective data from […]
Prone instability test: Procedure, interpretation, and diagnostic accuracy
The prone instability test is a hands-on clinical assessment for lumbar segmental instability. It compares a patient’s pain response to posteroanterior pressure in two positions. The feet rest on the floor for the first phase, then the legs are actively raised for the second. Pain that eases in the second phase is a positive result. […]
Elson test: How to perform and interpret it for central slip injuries
The Elson test is a bedside examination that detects rupture of the central slip of the extensor tendon at the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint. It takes under a minute to perform. With the PIP held at 90 degrees of flexion, a positive result shows rigid hyperextension at the DIP joint alongside weak or absent PIP […]
Roos stress test: How to perform and interpret the EAST test
The Roos stress test is a provocative orthopedic assessment that screens for thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS). The patient holds both arms abducted and externally rotated at 90 degrees, opening and closing the hands for three minutes. Reproducing the patient’s own symptoms inside that window is a positive result. Plain arm fatigue is not. Research published […]
Varus stress test: Technique, grading, and when to refer
The varus stress test is a manual orthopedic examination of the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) and, at full extension, the posterolateral corner of the knee. You apply an adduction force at 30° of flexion to load the LCL on its own, then repeat it at 0°. Laxity at 30° points to the LCL. Laxity at […]
Kleiger’s test: Procedure, interpretation, and diagnostic accuracy
Kleiger’s test is a clinical orthopedic special test used to detect ankle syndesmosis injury (high ankle sprain) and deltoid ligament disruption. The examiner applies an external rotation force to the foot while the patient sits with the knee flexed to 90 degrees. It is one of the most widely used syndesmotic special tests. Pain over […]
Musculoskeletal nursing assessment: A complete clinical guide
A musculoskeletal nursing assessment is a systematic, hands-on evaluation of a patient’s bones, joints, muscles, and supporting structures. It identifies functional limitations, pain sources, and findings that need escalation. The American Nurses Association treats assessment as the foundation of the nursing process, and the musculoskeletal system is among the most consequential to evaluate accurately. The […]