Whipple Test
- Fysiobasen
- Oct 3
- 1 min read
The Whipple Test is used to assess partial rotator cuff tears and/or injury to the superior labrum (SLAP lesion)¹.
Test execution
Patient position
The patient is seated or standing.
Arm placement
The patient flexes the shoulder to 90° and horizontally adducts the arm so that the hand is positioned in front of the opposite shoulder.
Resistance test
The examiner applies a downward force on the patient’s arm while the patient resists the movement.
Interpretation
Positive test: Shoulder pain during the maneuver indicates a possible partial rotator cuff tear or SLAP lesion².
Diagnostic validity and evidence
Sensitivity: 88.6%
Specificity: 29.4% for detection of partial supraspinatus tears.
The Whipple Test is less specific than the Empty Can and Full Can tests for diagnosing rotator cuff injury³.
Clinical relevance
Advantages
Simple to perform, particularly useful when supraspinatus tear is suspected.
Limitations
Low specificity reduces reliability when used alone.
Best applied in combination with other shoulder special tests (e.g., Empty Can Test, Full Can Test) for greater diagnostic accuracy.
Conclusion
The Whipple Test is a useful screening tool for identifying partial rotator cuff tears and SLAP lesions. Due to its low specificity, it should not be used as a stand-alone diagnostic test but rather as part of a test cluster to improve clinical accuracy.
References:
David J. Magee. Orthopedic Physical Assessment. 6th edition. Elsevier. 2014.
Whipple Test (CR). CRTechnologies. Available from: https://youtu.be/8YqGdwOluGo
Ackmann T, Schneider KN, Schorn D, Rickert C, Gosheger G, Liem D. Comparison of efficacy of supraspinatus tendon tears diagnostic tests: a prospective study on the "full-can," the "empty-can," and the "Whipple" tests
