Elbow
Ligamentous Instability (Lateral)
Evidence: suggestive
The Chair Push-up Test Special Test
Orthopedic Physical Examination & Clinical Assessment Guide
What is it used for?
- Assessing Posterolateral Rotatory Instability (PLRI) and Radial Collateral Ligament insufficiency.
How to Perform
- Position: Patient sits in a chair with armrests, elbows flexed to 90°, and arms abducted.
- Action: Patient supinates the forearms (palms holding the chair arms) and attempts to push themselves up to stand.
Interpretation of Results
- Positive Test: Patient is apprehensive or unable to extend the elbow due to fear of dislocation (radial head subluxation).
Diagnostic Accuracy
- Sensitivity: 87%
Clinical Context & Limitations
The The Chair Push-up 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 Elbow region, combining the The Chair Push-up Test with complementary examination tests significantly improves overall diagnostic confidence.
References
- Magee, D. J. (2021). Orthopedic Physical Assessment.
- Orthofixar | Chair Push-up Test
