The test described as seated with the shoulder in neutral, elbow flexed to 90 degrees, and forearm supinated, with pain or clicking or snapping is which test?

• A. Speed's test
• B. Ludington's test
• C. Yergason's test
• D. Empty can test

Answer: (C)

This test assesses the long head of the biceps tendon as it sits in the bicipital groove and checks its stability. With the patient seated, the shoulder is kept neutral and the elbow at 90 degrees while the forearm is in a supinated position. The examiner then resists the patient’s attempt to supinate the forearm. If the biceps tendon is irritated or there is subluxation of the tendon from the groove, you’ll reproduce pain in the bicipital groove and may feel or hear a click or snap as the tendon moves. That combination of reproduced groove pain and a snapping sensation matches this maneuver, making it Yergason’s test. Other tests target different structures or use different motions (for example, resisted shoulder flexion for the biceps in another test, or a test that screens the supraspinatus), so they wouldn’t fit this exact description.