Survey on Knowledge, Use, and Diagnostic Applicability of Special Tests for Rotator Cuff Involvement in Clinical Practice.
Steven W Forbush, William D Bandy, Gabrielle L Back-Kremers and 2 others
PMID 36793562WHAT IT FOUND
Most PTs know and use empty can and full can tests, but rank infraspinatus, champagne toast, ERLS, and belly-off as most useful for diagnosis.
No test was top in all three areas. Experience or specialization did not change test knowledge or use.
Key findings
01Respondents most readily knew the empty can, drop arm, full can, and Gerber’s tests.
02The tests used regularly were the infraspinatus, full can, supraspinatus, and champagne toast tests.
03Respondents reported the infraspinatus, champagne toast, external rotation lag (ERLS), and belly-off tests as most useful for establishing a diagnosis.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The actual response rate could not be determined because the number of surveys sent was unknown; only 346 were returned from thousands of potential members. Respondents may have been more motivated or interested in the topic than the general physical therapy population. The survey only included 15 tests chosen by the researchers; over 70 special tests exist, so other potentially useful tests were not evaluated. The study measured perceptions of usefulness, not actual diagnostic accuracy against a gold standard like MRI or surgery.
Declared interests
No specific conflicts of interest were reported in the text provided. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at the University of Central Arkansas.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that the tests rated 'most useful' by respondents are scientifically proven to be accurate. The infraspinatus and champagne toast tests, which were rated highly for diagnosis, have no reported sensitivity or specificity data in the literature.