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Belly Compression Test

Belly Compression Test


Name
Purpose1
Description1
Sensitivity, Specificity
Validity, Reliability
Likelihood Ratio +/-
Abdominal Compression
(Belly-Press )
Test
Tests for subscapularis lesion-especially for patients who cannot medially rotate the shoulder enough to take it behind the back.
The examiner places a hand on the abdomen so that the he or she can feel how much pressure the patient is applying to the abdomen. The patient places his or her hand of the shoulder being tested on the examiner’s hand and pushes as hard as he or she can into the stomach. The patient also attempts to bring the elbow forward in the scapular plane causing greater medial shoulder rotation. It is a positive test if the patient is unable to maintain the pressure on the examiner’s hand while moving the elbow forward or if the patient extends the shoulder.
Sensitivity= 402
Specificity=
982
N/A
LR+ =202
LR- = 0.612

1.       Magee DJ. Orthopedic Physical Assessment. 5th ed. St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier; 2008.
2.       Barth JR, Burkhart SS, De Beer JF. The bear-hug test: a new and sensitive test for diagnosing a subscapularis tear. Arthroscopy 2006; 22:1076-1084.