What is the Shoulder Abduction Test (Bakody) used for?

Diagnosing Cervical Radiculopathy (specifically C4, C5, or C6 nerve roots).

How do you perform the Shoulder Abduction Test (Bakody)?

Action: Patient actively lifts the painful arm and places the palm on top of their head.

What is a positive result for the Shoulder Abduction Test (Bakody)?

Positive Test: The patient reports significant relief of arm pain.Why: This position shortens the pathway of the nerve, reducing tension on the irritated nerve root.

What is the diagnostic accuracy of the Shoulder Abduction Test (Bakody)?

Sensitivity: 43-50%Specificity: 80-100%

Shoulder Abduction Test (Bakody) – Spine Special Test

What is it used for?

Diagnosing Cervical Radiculopathy (specifically C4, C5, or C6 nerve roots).

How to Perform

Action: Patient actively lifts the painful arm and places the palm on top of their head.

Interpretation of Results

Positive Test: The patient reports significant relief of arm pain.
Why: This position shortens the pathway of the nerve, reducing tension on the irritated nerve root.

Diagnostic Accuracy

Sensitivity: 43-50%
Specificity: 80-100%

Clinical Context & Limitations

The Shoulder Abduction Test (Bakody) 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 Spine region, combining the Shoulder Abduction Test (Bakody) with complementary examination tests significantly improves overall diagnostic confidence.