Execution
- 1Position the patient sitting with the forearm supported.
- 2Ask the patient to place the thumb into the palm and close the fingers around it as described in Magee.
- 3Stabilize the forearm.
- 4Passively deviate the wrist toward the ulnar side.
- 5Compare pain with the opposite side because the manoeuvre can be uncomfortable in normal wrists.
Positive outcome
Pain over the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis tendons at the radial wrist is positive. Magee states that only reproduction of the patient’s symptoms should be counted positive because the manoeuvre may be uncomfortable in normal individuals. This is the commonly taught Magee version, although many authors distinguish true Finkelstein from Eichhoff.
Studies
| Study | Reliability | Sn | Sp | LR+ | LR− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wu et al. (2018) | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
CommentMagee labels the thumb-in-fist ulnar-deviation manoeuvre as Finkelstein / Eichhoff, but the literature often separates those names. Wu et al. showed Finkelstein is less likely to create false positives than Eichhoff in asymptomatic people, but the study did not provide classic diagnostic Sn / Sp against a de Quervain reference standard. Keep the procedure description explicit to avoid name confusion.
Low Clinical Value