General Approach to Physical Examination of the Shoulder Based on the O’Brien, MOB, and Porcellini Tests

The physical examination of the shoulder provides valuable information to the physician and in some cases may even take the place of imaging studies in the diagnostic process. Some tests, however, have altering sensitivity and specificity. Therefore, they be performed accurately and in combination with other diagnostic methods in order to provide the examiner with a thorough and exhaustive result. The O’Brien test and its variants are a perfect example, with common de-nominators being the position of the patient, subjective perception of pain deep in the joint, and forward flexion of the arm. The present manuscript presents a brief description of the O’Brien test and other clinical examination techniques for shoulder examination used in general orthopedics and sports medicine. 90° and 10° of horizontal adduction, the elbow in extension, and arm in internal rotation (empty can position). The applies a downward force to the forearm or wrist. The test is considered positive when the patient cannot hold their arm in the above mentioned position. According to Owen et al ., the test has a 25% sensitivity and an 83% specificity. As a complementary test, together with