The first biceps load test is meant to detect SLAP injuries in patients with chronic shoulder dislocation. The test is performed with the patient supine and therefore the examiner seated alongside holding the patient’s wrist and elbow.
Kim et al (1999) designed the biceps load test to guage the integrity of the superior glenoid labrum in shoulders with recurrent dislocations.
Test
The patient’s arm is abducted to 90°, externally rotated and therefore the forearm is supinated. If the test reproduces pain then active elbow flexion against resistance should decrease the patient’s discomfort.
Positive
The active elbow flexion component of the test relieves the discomfort of the quality apprehension test for anterior instability.
Research
75 patients with proven unilateral anterior shoulder dislocations were prospectively examined during a double-blind fashion with arthroscopic examination and therefore the biceps load test. 63 patients had a negative test and 62 of those had an intact biceps tendon-superior labrum complex; the remaining patient had a kind 11 superior labral anterior and posterior lesion. 12 patients had positive tests, and 10 had superior labral lesions; the opposite 2 had intact superior labrums.
| Sensitivity | Specificity | PPV | NPV |
| 90.9% | 96.9% | 83% | 98% |
References
