Test: Empty Can (Jobe's) Test

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Background/Purpose

This test was devised to try and isolate rotator cuff muscles (Jobe FW, Moynes DR 1982). The test has been evaluated comparing it to other tests in multiple studies (Michener LA et al 2009) as well differentiating other conditions (Eiichiro Iwata et al 2017).

Procedure

Client is in a seated or standing position.
The clinician elevates the client's shoulder to 90° in the scapular plane (30°– 40° anterior to the coronal plane) and then placing the shoulder in internal rotation by asking the patient to rotate the shoulder so that his/her thumb was pointing toward the floor.
The clinician then applies a downward directed force at the wrist while the patient attempts to resist. In cases where shoulder pathology is expected, it may be useful to have the subject gradually apply pressure upward against resistance to decrease the intensity of pain that may be experienced by the subject.
A test is considered a fail if there is weakness detected as compared to the opposite shoulder. A test may also be considered a fail if there is pain involved.
A failed test may indicate shoulder impingement and/or weakness/damage to the supraspinatus tendon.
Performed: Unilaterally

Dialog

Pressure is applied to the forearm of the subject while they are in shoulder flexion and internal rotation of the scapular plane.

Criteria

• Full strength against resistance
• Pain free

Measurement

LOINC Code

0

Scale/Grading

Pass/Fail