Hornblower’s Sign

Published July 2, 2026 Read time 1 min read Readers 3
Hornblowers Sign

What is the "Hornblower's Sign" used for?

  • Teres minor muscle pathology

How to perform the "Hornblower's Sign"?

  • Bring the shoulder to 90 degrees of abduction, 90 degrees of external rotation and ask the patient to hold this position

What is the positive result?

  • Positive if the arm falls into internal rotation

Test Accuracy

  • Sensitivity: 100 %
  • Specificity: 93 %

References

  • Hornblower's Sign | Orthofixar
  • Walch, Gilles et al. “The 'dropping' and 'hornblower's' signs in evaluation of rotator-cuff tears.” The Journal of bone and joint surgery. British volume 80 4 (1998): 624-8 .