Office Diagnosis of Shoulder Disorders

In brief Complex tests and procedures brief are not usually needed to identify shoulder injuries that are common in clinical practice: rotator cuff injuries, shoulder instability, and impingement syndrome, among others. The history can differentiate causes of pain or instability with questions about symptom patterns. Performing targeted physical tests such as the drop-arm test and the apprehension test establishes presence and degree of impingement or instability. A standard radiographic series that includes rotation, axillary, and supraspinatus outlet views can identify presence of associated fractures, calcification, and lesions.