Assesses for lateral epicondylitis.

  • Maudsley’s Test

  • Pain at the lateral elbow that worsens with activity
    • May or may not be associated with acute elbow trauma

Patient Position
  • Seated or standing
Examiner Position
  • Seated or standing
Steps of Performance
  1. Patient’s shoulder is in a neutral position, elbow flexed to 90°, forearm pronated, wrist is held in a neutral position, and the fingers are extended
  2. Examiner places a flexion force on the third digit of the hand distal to the proximal interphalangeal joint while the patient attempts to maintain full finger extension
Alternative Methods

The Long Finger Extension Test utilizes resisted finger extension to establish an isometric contraction of the extensor digitorum (communis) muscle. This contraction increases tension at the origin of the extensor digitorum (i.e. the common extensor tendon) at the lateral epicondyle.

General

Positives

Lateral Epicondyle Pain

  • Lateral epicondylitis

Pertinent Negatives

Wrist or Forearm Pain

  • Muscle hypertonicity
  • Extensor digitorum strain
  • Wrist pathology

Neurologic Symptoms

  • Radial nerve impingement

DATA
TAGS
References
Magee DJ. Orthopedic Physical Assessment. 6th edition. Elsevier; 2014.
G Saroja, Antony Leo Aseer P, Venkata Sai P M. Diagnostic accuracy of provocative tests In lateral epicondylitis. Int J Physiother Res 2014;2(6):815-823. DOI: 10.16965/ijpr.2014.699
Pienimäki T, Tarvainen T, Siira P, Malmivaara A, Vanharanta H. Associations between pain, grip strength, and manual tests in the treatment evaluation of chronic tennis elbow. Clin J Pain. 2002;18(3):164-170. doi:10.1097/00002508-200205000-00005
Fairbank SM, Corlett RJ. The role of the extensor digitorum communis muscle in lateral epicondylitis. J Hand Surg Br. 2002;27(5):405-409. doi:10.1054/jhsb.2002.0761

Assesses for lateral epicondylitis.

  • Pain at the lateral elbow that worsens with activity
    • May or may not be associated with acute elbow trauma

Patient Position
  • Seated or standing
Examiner Position
  • Seated or standing
Steps of Performance
  1. Patient’s shoulder is in a neutral position, elbow flexed to 90°, forearm pronated, wrist is held in a neutral position, and the fingers are extended
  2. Examiner places a flexion force on the third digit of the hand distal to the proximal interphalangeal joint while the patient attempts to maintain full finger extension
Alternative Methods

The Long Finger Extension Test utilizes resisted finger extension to establish an isometric contraction of the extensor digitorum (communis) muscle. This contraction increases tension at the origin of the extensor digitorum (i.e. the common extensor tendon) at the lateral epicondyle.

General

Positives

Lateral Epicondyle Pain

  • Lateral epicondylitis

Pertinent Negatives

Wrist or Forearm Pain

  • Muscle hypertonicity
  • Extensor digitorum strain
  • Wrist pathology

Neurologic Symptoms

  • Radial nerve impingement