Shoulder
Impingement
Evidence: confirmed
Hawkins-Kennedy Test Special Test
Orthopedic Physical Examination & Clinical Assessment Guide
What is it used for?
- Diagnosing Subacromial Impingement.
How to Perform
- Position: Patient seated. Arm flexed to 90° and elbow flexed to 90°.
- Action: Examiner forcibly internally rotates the shoulder.
Interpretation of Results
- Positive Test: Pain in the supraspinatus tendon area (Supraspinatus is compressed against the coracoacromial ligament).
Diagnostic Accuracy
- Sensitivity: 92%
- Specificity: 44%
Clinical Context & Limitations
The Hawkins-Kennedy Test should be considered as one component of a comprehensive musculoskeletal assessment. No single special test has perfect diagnostic accuracy; thus, clinical decision-making should integrate test results with patient-reported symptoms, mechanism of injury, functional impairment, and relevant imaging.
Clinicians should be aware of potential false-positive results in patients with pain sensitisation, muscle guarding, or poor relaxation. For the Shoulder region, combining the Hawkins-Kennedy Test with complementary examination tests significantly improves overall diagnostic confidence.
References
- Magee, D. J. (2021). Orthopedic Physical Assessment.
