Arm squeeze test
For: Cervical radiculopathy versus shoulder pain
Arm pain can come from a nerve root in the neck (cervical radiculopathy) or from the shoulder itself. This test helps tell the two apart.
Treat with caution (see below)Caution: Case–control study of two groups whose diagnoses were already confirmed, which flatters accuracy; the paper's own LR+ for its weakest comparison is 10.6.
What the numbers mean
- Positive result: see the caution above before relying on this result.
- Negative result: see the caution above before relying on this result.
Source
Gumina S, Carbone S, Albino P, Gurzì M, Postacchini F. Arm Squeeze Test: a new clinical test to distinguish neck from shoulder pain. Eur Spine J. 2013;22(7):1558–1563. Journal article (DOI) · single study
Figures as they will appear in Rule It In, Rule It Out (Trokos, forthcoming). If a newer or better study changes them, this page changes with the book. Figures last updated from the book on 2 October 2026.
Get the book for the neck questions that matter: nerve root or referred pain, which myelopathy signs count, and when a neck after trauma needs imaging
This page gives the published figures. Rule It In, Rule It Out adds how to do this test, what counts as positive, how to read the result, and, where studied, whether combining it with other tests helps.
Coming in late 2026 as a PDF and a paperback. Join the list to hear when it's out
One study, one test, once a month
Rule It In is a free evidence letter for musculoskeletal clinicians: one recent study explained, one examination test with its real numbers. From Trokos, publisher of Rule It In, Rule It Out.