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Drop Arm Test
Drop Arm Test
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Name
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Purpose
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Description
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Sensitivity, Specificity
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Validity, Reliability
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Likelihood Ratio +/-
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Drop Arm Test
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To test for supraspinatus tears
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“Patient is seated with examiner to the front. Examiner grasps the patient’s wrist and passively abducts the patient’s shoulder to 90 degrees. Examiner releases the patient’s arm with instructions to slowly lower the arm. Test is positive if the patient is unable to lower his or her arm in a smooth, controlled fashion.”[1]
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Sensitivity
27%[2]
Specificity
88%2
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K=.28-.66[3]
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+2.252
-0.832
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[1] Wong M. Pocket Orthopaedics Evidence-Based Survival Guide. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers;2010.
[2] Park HB et al. Diagnostic accuracy of clinical tests for different degrees of subacromial impingement syndrome. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2005; 87: 1446-1455.
[3] Ostor AJ et al. Interrater reproducibility of clinical tests for rotator cuff lesions. Ann Rheum Dis. 2004;63: 1288-1292.
