Athletic Training & Sports Medicine Center

  

Examination Links:

  • Alphabetical Listing
of Examinations
  • Head
    • Rhombterg
    • Neurological control
 - upper limb
    • Neurological control
 - lower limb
    • Tandem Test
    • Finger-to-nose test
    • Finger-thumb test
    • Hand flip test
    • Finger drumming test
    • Hand-thigh test
    • Past pointing test
    • Heel-to-knee test
    • Proprioceptive Movement
 Test
    • Proprioceptive Space Test
  • Cervical Spine
    • Spurling's Test
    • Distraction
    • Quandrant
    • Tinels' Sign
  • Thoracic Spine
    • Sagittal Plane ROM Test
    • Frontal Plane ROM Test
    • Transverse Plane ROM Test
  • Lumbar Spine
    • Straight Leg Raise Test
    • Sciatic Nerve Palpation Test
    • Bowstring Test
    • Slump Test
  • Shoulder
    • Apley Scratch Test
    • Apprehension Test
    • Relocation Test
    • Anterior Instability Test
    • Anterior/Posterior Translation
 Test
    • Sulcus Sign
    • Posterior G-H Instability Test
    • Inferior Drawer (Feagin) Test
    • Neer Impingement Test
    • Hawkins Kennedy
Impingement Test
    • Empty Can Test
    • Internal Rotation Strength
Test
    • External Rotation Strength
Test
    • Glenoid Labrum Clunk Test
    • Andrews Anterior Instability
Test
    • Anterior Drawer
    • Posterior Drawer
    • Prone Posterior Instability 
Test
    • Push Pull Test
    • Apprehension Test
    • Fulcrum test
    • Jerk Sign or Jahnke Test
    • Load & Shift Test
    • Acromioclavicular Joint
Stability Test
    • Cross Chest 
(Horizontal Adduction) Test
    • Sternoclavicular Joint 
Integrity Test
    • Speed's Test
    • Gilcrest's Palm-Up test
    • Ludington's Test
    • Drop Arm Test
    • Drop Sign
    • External Rotation Lag Sign
    • Internal Rotation Lag Sign
    • Gerber Lift-Off Test
    • O'Brien Test
    • Yergason Test
    • Biceps Load Test I
    • Biceps Load Test II
    • Winging Scapula Test
    • Adson Maneuver
    • Allen Test
    • Roo's Test
    • Halstead's Test
  • Elbow & Radioulnar
    • Valgus Test 00
    • Valgus Test 300
    • Valgus Test 900
    • Miking Sig
    • Cross Arm Valgus
 Stress Test
    • Varus Test 00
    • Varus Test 300
    • Tinel Sign
    • Lateral Compression Test
    • Valgus Extension Overload
    • Cozen Test
    • Mills Test
    • Distal Radioulnar Instability 
Test
  • Wrist
    • Finkelstein's Test
    • Anatomical Snuff Box
Compression Test
    • Phalen's Test or Wrist Press 
Test
    • Tinel Sign
  • Hand & Fingers
    • Murphy's Signr
    • Boutonniere Deformity Test
    • Mallet Finger Test
    • Flexor Digitorum Superficialis
 Test
    • Flexor Digitorum Profundus
 Test
    • Gamekeeper's Thumb Test
    • MCP Radial Collateral 
Ligament Stress Test
    • MCP Ulnar Collateral 
Ligament Stress Test
    • PIP Radial Collateral 
Ligament Stress Test
    • PIP Ulnar Collateral 
Ligament Stress Test
    • DIP Radial Collateral 
Ligament Stress Test
    • DIP Ulnar Collateral 
Ligament Stress Test
    • Bunnel-Littler Test
    • Retinacular Test
    • Allen Test
  • Sacroiliac Joint
    • Ipsilateral Prone Kinetic Test
    • FABER Test
    • Passive Extension & Internal 
Rotation of Ilium on Sacrum
    • Passive Flexion & External 
Rotation of Ilium on Sacrum
    • Passive External Rotation 
of Hip
    • Pelvic Rocking Test
    • Gapping Test
    • Prone Gapping (Hibb's) Test
    • Approximation Test
    • Squish Test
      Sacroiliac Rocking Test
    • Sacral Apex Pressure Test
    • Torsion Stress Test
    • Femoral Shear Test
    • Superoinferior Symphysis
Pubic Stress Test
    • Piedallu's Sign
    • Flamingo Maneuver or Test
    • Gaenslen's Sign
    • Mazion's Pelvic Maneuver
    • Yeoman's Test
    • Sit-up Test
  • Hip & Thigh
    • Scouring (Quandrant) Test
    • FABER Test
    • Trendelenburg Test
    • Craig's Test
    • Torque Test
    • Stinchfield Test
    • Thomas Test
    • Ober Test
    • Pirifomis Test
    • Sign of the Buttock
    • Ely's Test
    • Hamstring Contracture Test 1
    • Tripod Test
    • 90-90 Straight Leg Test
    • Phelp's Test
  • Knee
    • Gravity Sign
    • Active Posterior/Anterior 
Drawer Test
    • Posterolateral Drawer Test
    • Lachman
      • Tradiional
      • Thigh Assisted
      • Drop Leg
      • Table Side
      • Table End
      • Prone
      • Active
    • Posterolateral Drawer Test
    • Figure 4 Palpation
    • McMurray's Test
    • Apley's Grind Test
    • Lateral Compression Test
    • Medial Compression Test
    • Jerk Test of Hughston
    • Pivot Shift Test
    • External Rotation 
Recurvatum Test
    •  
  • Lower Leg
  • Ankle
  • Foot
    • Morton Test
    •  
  • Range of Motion
  • Goniometry
  • Manual Muscle Testing
  • Reflexes
  • Vital Signs
  • Body Composition

 

Tinel Sign at Elbow
Examination type Neurological
Patient & Body Segment Positioning The patient should be seated with the involved elbow supported on a flat surface.  The elbow should be flexed to 90 degrees with the arm externally rotated to expose the cubital tunnel.
Examiner Position The examiner should stand in front of the patient.  One of the examiners hands should be around the patient’s wrist.  The examiner should use the other hand to tap the patient’s ulnar nerve with a finger or a reflex hammer.
Performing the Test With firm pressure, tap between the medial epicondyle and the olecranon process (in the cubital tunnel) with the tip of a finger or a reflex hammer.
Tissues Being Tested Ulnar nerve
Positive Test If the test is positive, tingling and numbness will radiate into the 4th and 5th fingers.  Tapping on the involved side should produce more pain than tapping on the uninvolved side.
Interpretation A positive test indicates that the ulnar nerve is compromised.
Common errors in performing exam The patient’s elbow should be flexed to avoid missing the ulnar nerve which can produce a false negative test.
Factors possibly resulting in misinterpretation Everyone will experience tingling and pain in their 4th and 5th fingers with continued tapping on the ulnar nerve.  Unless the pain and tingling is severe, the patient or evaluator should not be concerned.
Related tests Wartenberg’s Sign, Elbow flexion test, test for pronator teres syndrome, pinch grip test
References Prentice, W.E. (2003).  Arnheim’s Principles of Athletic Training:  A Compentency-Based Approach.  New York:  McGraw Hill.

Magee, David J. (2002). Orthopedic Physical Assessment. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier.
Links:

http://patients.uptodate.com/image.asp?file=prim_pix/tinelA_si.gif

http://medinfo.ufl.edu/year1/bcs/clist/extrem.html

http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/mmg/sec7/ch55/ch55c.jsp
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