This video is a demonstration of the Empty Can Test. The purpose of the Empty Can Test is to test the integrity of the supraspinatus muscle and tendon where a positive test could indicate a potential diagnosis for Subacromial Impingement Syndrome or Neuropathy of the Suprascapular Nerve.

With your patient seated, place their elbow into full extension, then place their arm into 90 degrees of shoulder flexion in the scapular plane with neutral rotation (thumb is pointing up to start to test the patient's tolerance for the later more provocative test). While stabilizing your patient’s shoulder, apply downward resistance at your patient’s distal forearm. Then, internally rotate your patient’s arm, and while stabilizing their shoulder again, re-apply downward resistance at the distal forearm.

This is called the Empty Can Test because the patient looks to be pouring liquid out of a can with their thumbs pointing down. The Empty Can Test is considered positive if there is weakness or pain with resistance, where the positive result would be indicative of a potential diagnosis for Subacromial Impingement Syndrome.

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