Which rotator cuff test is performed with the arm in the scapular plane and thumbs up?

• A. Empty can test
• B. Full can test
• C. Dropping sign
• D. Napoléon's sign

Answer: (B)

The test in this position uses the scapular plane with a thumbs‑up grip to isolate the supraspinatus. When the arm is elevated about 90 degrees in the scapular plane and the thumb points upward, the supraspinatus fibers work along a favorable line of pull and are tested with less subacromial impingement than in other positions. The examiner applies downward resistance while the patient holds the arm there; a painful or weak response suggests supraspinatus involvement.

This is the full can test. The contrast is the empty can version, where the arm is in the same plane but the thumb points downward (internal rotation), which can provoke impingement and may not isolate the supraspinatus as cleanly. The other signs refer to different tests for other rotator cuff components or tear patterns, so they don’t describe the thumbs-up scapular-plane position used here.