Physical Exam

Drop Arm Test

also known as Codman's test

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Video coming September 2026

How to Perform

Passively abduct the patient's arm to about 90° (or have them hold it elevated), then ask them to slowly lower it to the side. A positive test is inability to lower the arm smoothly — it drops suddenly or with pain.

How to Interpret

Subacromial Impingement

Drop-arm test positive

Rule in

Somewhat helpful

Rule out

—

Evidence:Strong

Supraspinatus Tendinopathy

Drop-arm test positive

Rule in

Not helpful

Rule out

Not helpful

Evidence:Limited

References

Alqunaee M, Galvin R, Fahey T. Diagnostic accuracy of clinical tests for subacromial impingement syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2012;93(2):229-236. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2011.08.035. PMID 22289231. DARE quality-assessed (NBK91532). PRISMA-style systematic review; bivariate random-effects meta-analysis; QUADAS; 10 studies, 1684 patients; arthroscopy or open surgery reference standard.
Balevi Batur E, Bekin Sarikaya PZ, Kaygisiz ME, Albayrak Gezer I, Levendoglu F. Diagnostic Dilemma: Which Clinical Tests Are Most Accurate for Diagnosing Supraspinatus Muscle Tears and Tendinosis When Compared to Magnetic Resonance Imaging? Cureus. 2022 Jun 13;14(6):e25903. doi:10.7759/cureus.25903. PMID: 35844349. PMCID: PMC9278872. Open access, CC BY 4.0.
Codman EA. The Shoulder: Rupture of the Supraspinatus Tendon and Other Lesions in or About the Subacromial Bursa. Boston: Thomas Todd Co; 1934.