Execution
- 1Position the patient sitting with the forearm, wrist, hand, and fingers visible for side-to-side comparison.
- 2Ask the patient to actively pronate and supinate the forearm, then flex, extend, radially deviate, and ulnarly deviate the wrist.
- 3Ask the patient to open the hand wide, make a fist, and perform finger and thumb movements when hand function is part of the complaint.
- 4Watch for pain, restriction, deviation, clunking, altered cascade, tremor, guarding, and substitution from the shoulder or elbow.
- 5Compare with the opposite side and tests the most painful or symptom-provoking movements last.
Positive outcome
Abnormal findings: pain, limited range, altered movement quality, clunking, deviation, guarding, or asymmetry.
Expected range- Pronation 85°–90°
- Supination 85°–90°
- Wrist flexion 80°–90°
- Wrist extension 70°–90°
- Radial deviation ~15°
- Ulnar deviation 30°–45°
Functional wrist use needs far less than full range, roughly 10° flexion to 35° extension with small radial and ulnar deviation. Pain or clunk during ulnar deviation may suggest midcarpal instability and should be followed by specific carpal tests.
CommentMagee frames active movement as a scanning screen before selective testing, not a diagnostic-accuracy test. Forearm rotation should be watched carefully because patients may compensate with shoulder rotation. Pain or clunk during ulnar deviation may suggest midcarpal instability and should be followed by specific carpal tests.
Low Clinical Value