PCA Study Review: Shoulder Pain, Rotator Cuff Tears, and the Problem with One Test Thinking

In this episode of PCA Study Review, a service of the Pennsylvania Chiropractic Association, we review research on shoulder exams, rotator cuff tears, and subacromial impingement.

Shoulder exams can get crowded quickly: Neer, Hawkins, Jobe, Drop Arm, Lift Off, Painful Arc, and lag signs. Most doctors know the names. The deeper issue is whether we understand what each test actually tells us.

The literature reinforces one clear point: no single shoulder test is perfect. This review focuses on lag signs, particularly the External Rotation Lag Sign at 90 Degrees and the Internal Rotation Lag Sign, to identify full-thickness rotator cuff tears.

The larger lesson is not that doctors need one magic test. Better clinical re ...