Shoulder
Empty can test
Jobe test
- What you examine
- Strength and pain of the supraspinatus, tested with the thumb pointing down.
- Procedure
- Arm at 90 degrees of abduction in the scapular plane (30 degrees in front of the frontal plane), thumb down. Apply resistance downwards.
- Positive when
- Loss of strength or recognisable pain compared with the other side.
- What the test is worth
- Loss of strength points more strongly to a tear than pain alone; pain without weakness fits a tendinopathy just as well.
- Caution
- The full can variant (thumb up) loads the supraspinatus just as well and provokes the biceps tendon less.
- Body region
- Shoulder