Which test is performed with the shoulder flexed to 90 degrees and the elbow flexed to 90 degrees?

Which test is performed with the shoulder flexed to 90 degrees and the elbow flexed to 90 degrees?

• A. Hawkins Kennedy test
• B. Neer's test
• C. Painful arc test
• D. Drop arm test

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is testing for subacromial impingement of the rotator cuff. In the Hawkins-Kennedy maneuver, the shoulder is positioned with about 90 degrees of flexion and the elbow also at 90 degrees, then the arm is internally rotated. This combination narrows the space under the acromion, so the supraspinatus tendon or bursa gets compressed. If this movement reproduces pain, it suggests impingement of the rotator cuff tendons beneath the acromion, which is a common cause of shoulder pain. Other tests assess different things. Neer’s test uses passive full forward flexion with the scapula stabilized to provoke impingement but through a different mechanism and positioning. The painful arc test looks for a specific arc of painful abduction (usually 60–120 degrees) rather than a provocative internal rotation in a flexed position. The drop arm test checks for a rotator cuff tear by asking the patient to slowly lower the arm from a fully raised position, which is not about the 90/90 flexed posture used in Hawkins-Kennedy.

The main idea here is testing for subacromial impingement of the rotator cuff. In the Hawkins-Kennedy maneuver, the shoulder is positioned with about 90 degrees of flexion and the elbow also at 90 degrees, then the arm is internally rotated. This combination narrows the space under the acromion, so the supraspinatus tendon or bursa gets compressed. If this movement reproduces pain, it suggests impingement of the rotator cuff tendons beneath the acromion, which is a common cause of shoulder pain.

Other tests assess different things. Neer’s test uses passive full forward flexion with the scapula stabilized to provoke impingement but through a different mechanism and positioning. The painful arc test looks for a specific arc of painful abduction (usually 60–120 degrees) rather than a provocative internal rotation in a flexed position. The drop arm test checks for a rotator cuff tear by asking the patient to slowly lower the arm from a fully raised position, which is not about the 90/90 flexed posture used in Hawkins-Kennedy.