Execution
- 1Position the patient supine with the scapula supported and the shoulder accessible at the table edge.
- 2Passively abduct the shoulder to approximately 90° to 110°.
- 3Extend the humerus slightly beyond the coronal plane, approximately 15° to 20°.
- 4Passively externally rotate the shoulder to end range while maintaining the abducted and extended position.
- 5Ask whether the manoeuvre reproduces the patient’s familiar posterior shoulder pain.
Positive outcome
Localised posterior shoulder pain in the test position is positive. In Magee’s description this reflects internal impingement of the undersurface of the rotator cuff against the posterosuperior glenoid / labrum, classically in the late cocking or early acceleration phase of throwing.
Studies
| Study | Reliability | Sn | Sp | LR+ | LR− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meister et al. (2004) | NA | 75.5 | 85 | 5.03 | 0.29 |
CommentThis is mainly an overhead-athlete / internal-impingement provocation test, not a general subacromial impingement test. Meister’s subgroup with gradual-onset noncontact pain reported Sn 95% and Sp 100%, but that is a selected subgroup and should not be treated as a stable universal LR+. Use it when the history points to posterior pain in late cocking / early acceleration rather than for nonspecific shoulder pain.
Moderate Clinical Value