Execution
- 1Position the patient standing or sitting with the arm by the side and the elbow flexed to 90°.
- 2Keep the humerus near 0° abduction in the scapular plane.
- 3Ask the patient to externally rotate the shoulder while the examiner applies an internal-rotation resistance.
- 4Stabilize the elbow against the trunk as needed to prevent abduction or extension substitution.
- 5Compare pain, weakness, and endurance with the opposite shoulder.
Positive outcome
Pain or weakness during resisted external rotation is positive. Marked weakness suggests posterior cuff involvement, especially infraspinatus; pain-limited weakness is less specific.
Studies
| Study | Reliability | Sn | Sp | LR+ | LR− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park et al. (2005) | NA | 41.6 | 90.1 | 4.20 | 0.65 |
| van Kampen et al. (2014) | NA | NA | NA | 9.78 | 0.86 |
| Jain et al. (2017) | NA | NA | 98 | 6.06 | NA |
CommentMagee's infraspinatus test uses resisted external rotation with the elbow at 90° and the arm near the side. Evidence is stronger for specificity than sensitivity; a negative test does not exclude posterior cuff disease. Some diagnostic literature reports ER lag at 0° rather than pure resisted ER0 strength, so do not merge those constructs without noting the method.
Moderate Clinical Value