Execution
- 1Position the patient sitting with the hand supported on a stable surface.
- 2Stabilize the wrist and adjacent metacarpals in neutral.
- 3Grasp the first metacarpal.
- 4Move the first metacarpal into flexion at the CMC joint.
- 5Record whether basal thumb pain is reproduced.
Positive outcome
Pain in the basal thumb region during first metacarpal flexion is positive. Pain should be distinguished from MCP joint pain or tendon irritation. The test is a thumb CMC OA provocation manoeuvre.
Studies
| Study | Reliability | Sn | Sp | LR+ | LR− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sela et al. (2019) | NA | 36 | 100 | infinity | 0.64 |
CommentSela found MC flexion had low sensitivity but perfect specificity in the studied cohort. Because many CMC OA cases will have a negative MC flexion test, it should be used only as part of a test battery. The 100% specificity estimate should not be overgeneralized.
High Clinical Value