Upper Limb Tension Tests (ULTTs)

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==Purpose:==

• To test for the presence of cervical radiculopathy
  

• A component of the Test Item Cluster for the Diagnosis of Cervical Radiculopathy to determine the likelihood that a patient has cervical radiculopathy
  

[[1]]

==Description:¹==

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 if one or more of the following occurs:

• Symptoms reproduced

• Side to side difference in elbow extension greater than 10 degrees

• Contralateral cervical side bending increases symptoms, or ipsilateral side bending decreases symptoms

==Diagnostic Accuracy:²==

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

media:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlGVm4uKCMY ³

==References:==

1. Flynn TW, Cleland JA, Whitman JM. Users' Guide To The Musculoskeletal Examination. Evidence in Motion; 2008.
   
2. Hartley A. Practical Joint Assessment. St Louis: Mosby; 1995.
   
3. ULTT Median Nerve Bias. (2009, June 8). ClinicallyRelevant.com: Upper Limb Tension Test A [Video]. Retrieved Nov 15, 2009, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlGVm4uKCMY