Execution:
- The patient is in standing position
- Fixate the clavicle and the scapular spine with one hand, while the forearm presses the clavicle against the thorax
- Perform the empty can test (patient’s affected arm in scaption and resists downward compression)
Positive Outcome: Patient experiences less pain during the assisted empty can in comparison with the unassisted empty can, which can indicate weakness of the scapular stabilizers
| Study | Reliability | Sn | Sp | LR+ | LR- |
| Kibler et al. (2006) | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Comment: The clinical examination that addresses scapular posture and includes scapular retraction will allow more accurate determination of absolute supraspinatus muscle strength and allow efficacious rehabilitation protocols to address the source of the demonstrated weakness | |||||
