Morrissey D, Morrissey MC, Driver W, King JB, Woledge RC
The purpose of this study was to measure the accuracy of palpation of shoulder girdle translation during the medial rotation test (MRT) of the shoulder. The translation of the gleno-humeral and scapulo-thoracic joints was measured using both three-dimensional ultrasound and palpation in order to determine the accuracy of translation tracking during the MRT of the shoulder. Two movements of 11 normal subjects were measured. The agreement between measures was good for scapulo-thoracic translation. Gleno-humeral translation was systematically under estimated although moderate correlation was found.
Translation of the gleno-humeral and scapulo-thoracic joints can be tracked by palpation but further tests of the efficacy of palpation tracking during musculoskeletal assessment are required.
Manual Therapy, 20 March 2008, online article ahead of print