ECU Synergy Test
Other Names
- Extensor Carpi Ulnaris Synergy Test
- ECU Synergy Test
Purpose
- Evaluate the extensor carpi ulnaris as a cause of the patients pain
- Helps differentiate extra-articular ECU tendonitis from intra-articular wrist pathology[1]
Description
- Patient position:
- Arm is resting on the table
- Elbow flexed to 90°
- Forearm is in full supination
- Wrist is neutral, fingers in full extension
- The examiner grasps the patients thumb and long finger with one hand
- They palpate the ECU tendon with the other hand
- The patient is asked to radially abduct the thumb against resistance
- The ECU should be seen bowstringing against the skin
- Positive test
- Recreation of the pain along the dorsal ulnar aspect of the wrist
Pathology
Evidence
Any ECU Abnormality
- Sato et al[2]
- Sensitivity: 73.7%
- Specificity: 85.7%
- PPV: 82.4%
- NPV: 78.3%
See Also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ruland, Robert T., and Christopher J. Hogan. "The ECU synergy test: an aid to diagnose ECU tendonitis." The Journal of hand surgery 33.10 (2008): 1777-1782.
- ↑ Sato, Junko, Yoshinori Ishii, and Hideo Noguchi. "Diagnostic Performance of the Extensor Carpi Ulnaris (ECU) Synergy Test to Detect Sonographic ECU Abnormalities in Chronic Dorsal Ulnar‐Sided Wrist Pain." Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine 35.1 (2016): 7-14.
Created by:
John Kiel on 18 June 2024 13:44:26
Authors:
Last edited:
5 March 2026 18:23:11
Categories: