Execution
- 1Position the patient standing with the shoulder neutral by the side and the elbow flexed to 90°.
- 2Place the forearm in supination and ask the patient to make a fist.
- 3Place one hand over the patient’s fist to resist the movement.
- 4Ask the patient to quickly bring the fist upward and toward the chin like a boxing uppercut.
- 5Note pain, painful popping, or anterior shoulder symptoms.
Positive outcome
Pain or a painful pop over the anterior shoulder is positive and indicates possible biceps injury. It is not a SLAP-specific test by itself.
Studies
| Study | Reliability | Sn | Sp | LR+ | LR− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hegedus et al. (2012) | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
CommentMagee frames the upper-cut test as a biceps injury test. It can reproduce anterior shoulder pain from several biceps-labrum complex sources, so it should be interpreted with bicipital groove palpation, Speed’s / Yergason’s, and SLAP tests. Diagnostic-accuracy reporting is less established than for RSERT or biceps load II.
Low Clinical Value