The Shoulder

Technique:

• The patient sits, the arm by the side and the elbow flexed to 90°. The shoulder muscles are maximally relaxed.
• The examiner grasps the arm below the elbow and pulls the arm distally.
• If the head of the humerus can be pulled caudally in realtion to the scapula, a sulcus becomes visible right under the acromion.

Meaning

The presence of a clear sulcus on axial traction is indicative of inferior or multi-directional instability.