Execution
- 1Stabilize the patient’s elbow with the thumb resting on the lateral epicondyle.
- 2Ask the patient to make a fist.
- 3Ask the patient to pronate the forearm.
- 4Ask the patient to radially deviate and extend the wrist.
- 5Resist the combined wrist extension and radial deviation while palpating the lateral epicondyle.
Positive outcome
Sudden severe pain in the region of the lateral epicondyle is positive. The examiner may palpate the epicondyle to confirm the pain origin.
Studies
| Study | Reliability | Sn | Sp | LR+ | LR− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karanasios et al. (2022) — systematic review | NA | 91 | NA | NA | NA |
| Zwerus et al. (2018) — systematic review | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
CommentMagee’s Cozen procedure is the active resisted wrist-extension and radial-deviation version. Evidence for lateral epicondylalgia tests remains weaker than their textbook prominence, and many studies use clinical diagnosis or imaging rather than a surgical gold standard. Use the test for symptom reproduction and tendon-loading behavior rather than definitive diagnosis.
Moderate Clinical Value