Finkelstein Test

Execution – Step 1 (Acute Phase):

  1. Patient’s extremity is extended and placed on the treatment table with the ulnar aspect of the forearm and the wrist hanging off the table
  2. The patient then gently performs ulnar deviation

Positive Outcome: Pain aggravation at the tip of the styloid process

 

Execution – Step 2 (Acute Phase):

  1. If step 1 is not aggravating pain, the examiner passively deviates the wrist at the hand, which increases the passive stretch on the 1st dorsal compartmentPositive Outcome: Pain aggravation at the tip of the styloid process

 

Execution – Step 3 (Chronic Phase):

  1. If step 1 or 2 are not provoking, the original version described by Finkelstein is performed
  2. The examiner grasps the patient’s thumb and then passively flexes it into the palm

Positive Outcome: Pain aggravation at the tip of the styloid process

 

Study Reliability Sn Sp LR+ LR-
Dawson et al. (2010) NA NA NA NA NA
Wu et al. (2018)
asymptomatic		 NA NA 100 NA NA