Diagnostic accuracy of scapular physical examination tests for shoulder disorders

The authors conducted this systematic review to critique the evidence dealing with the diagnostic accuracy of physical examination tests for the scapula in patients with shoulder disorders. They conducted a systematic, computerised literature search of PubMED, EMBASE, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library databases (from database inception through January 2012) using keywords associated with diagnostic accuracy of physical examination tests of the scapula. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool was used to critique the quality of each paper. Eight articles met their inclusion criteria; three were considered to be of high quality. Of the three high-quality studies, two were in reference to a ‘diagnosis’ of shoulder pain. Only one high-quality article referenced specific shoulder pathology of acromioclavicular dislocation with reported sensitivity of 71% and 41% for the scapular dyskinesis and SICK scapula test, respectively.

 

They concluded that, overall, no physical examination test of the scapula could be shown to be useful in differentially diagnosing pathologies of the shoulder.