Belly Press Test
What is the "Belly Press Test" used for?
- Subscapularis Muscle pathology
How to perform the "Belly Press Test"?
- The patient presses the abdomen with the flat of the hand and attempts to keep the arm in maximal internal rotation.
- If active internal rotation is strong, the elbow does not drop backward, meaning it remains in front of the trunk.
- If the strength of the subscapularis is impaired, maximal internal rotation cannot be maintained, the patient feels weakness,
and the elbow drops back behind the trunk.
What is the positive result?
- If the strength of the subscapularis is impaired, maximal internal rotation cannot be maintained, the patient feels weakness, and the elbow drops back behind the trunk.
- when the subscapularis tendon is torn, patients tend to flex the wrist to press against the abdomen and are unable to hold the elbow forward
Test Accuracy
- Sensitivity: 40 %
- Specificity: 97.9 %
References
