Shrug test used for?

• A. To diagnose shoulder dislocation
• B. To assess elbow function
• C. To diagnose significant rotator cuff tears and adhesive capsulitis
• D. To evaluate neck mobility

Answer: (C)

The shrug test helps evaluate the shoulder girdle function, and it is particularly informative for detecting significant rotator cuff pathology and adhesive capsulitis. When you shrug, the upper trapezius elevates the scapula, and maintaining a stable glenohumeral joint during this movement relies on a functioning rotator cuff to center the humeral head. A substantial rotator cuff tear can limit or painfully disrupt this motion, producing weakness, asymmetry, or reproduced pain during the shrug. In adhesive capsulitis, the shoulder capsule is thickened and stiff, constraining motion around the glenohumeral joint, so the shrug becomes painful or markedly limited as scapulothoracic motion is affected.

This test isn’t about elbow function or neck mobility, and it isn’t a test for shoulder dislocation. A normal, symmetric shrug with minimal pain suggests preserved girdle function, while a positive shrug—weakness, asymmetry, or pain—points toward major rotator cuff disruption or a stiff, frozen shoulder.