Spine
Cervical Spine
Evidence: confirmed
Soto-Hall Test Special Test
Orthopedic Physical Examination & Clinical Assessment Guide
What is it used for?
- Differentiating between Bone/Ligament pathology and Muscle pathology in the neck.
How to Perform
- Position: Patient lies supine.
- Action: Examiner stabilizes the patient's sternum with one hand and passively flexes the patient's neck (chin to chest) with the other.
Interpretation of Results
- Bone/Ligament Issue: Pain occurs during this passive flexion.
- Muscular Issue: Pain occurs during active flexion (when patient lifts their own head) but diminishes during passive flexion.
Clinical Context & Limitations
The Soto-Hall 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 Spine region, combining the Soto-Hall Test with complementary examination tests significantly improves overall diagnostic confidence.
References
- Clinical Tests for the Musculoskeletal System 3rd Edition.
