Upper Limb Tension Tests (ULTTs)
Purpose:
To test for the presence of cervical radiculopathy
Description:
The patient is supine. The examiner performs the following movement sequence:
- Scapular depression
- Shoulder abduction
- Forearm supination, wrist and finger extension
- Shoulder lateral elevation
- Elbow extension
- Contralateral/ipsilateral cervical side bending
Positive Test:
The test is positive ifone of moreof the following occurs:
- Symptoms reproduced
- Side to side difference in elbowe extension greater than 10 degrees
- Contralateral cervical side bending increases symptoms, or ipsilateral side bending decreases symptoms
Diagnostic Accuracy:
Reference standard cervical radiculopathy as diagnosed by needle electromyography and nerve conduction studies.
Sensitivity= .50
Specificity= .86
-LR= .58
+LR= 3.5
Reliability:
Inter-examiner Kappa= .76