During the painful arc test protocol, what does the patient do?

During the painful arc test protocol, what does the patient do?

• A. The patient actively abducts the arm from neutral to full overhead while reporting onset and resolution of pain.
• B. The clinician passively abducts the arm to 90 degrees and notes pain.
• C. The patient abducts only to 60 degrees and holds.
• D. The patient performs overhead abduction with resistance.

Answer: (B)

The patient actively abducts the arm from neutral through the midrange toward overhead, and reports exactly when the pain begins and ends. The hallmark is pain felt in the middle portion of the arc, typically around 60° to 120° of abduction, which suggests subacromial impingement of the rotator cuff tendons or subacromial bursa under the acromion. This test relies on the patient’s own movement and on observing the onset and relief of pain during that midarc range.

The patient actively abducts the arm from neutral through the midrange toward overhead, and reports exactly when the pain begins and ends. The hallmark is pain felt in the middle portion of the arc, typically around 60° to 120° of abduction, which suggests subacromial impingement of the rotator cuff tendons or subacromial bursa under the acromion. This test relies on the patient’s own movement and on observing the onset and relief of pain during that midarc range.