Norwood stress test of the shoulder examination

The shoulder is one of the most commonly injured joints in the human body. Injuries to the shoulder include tears, sprains, and fractures. One of the most severe injuries is the dislocation of the shoulder, also known as a “separation of the joint.” The Norwood stress test is a procedure used to measure stability of shoulder joint.

• This test is perform into the examination part by to the therapist when to the patient complain of the feel to the pain around of to the shoulder .
• The test is check to the posterior shoulder instability.
• This test is give to the result such as to the other test of to the instability of the shoulder.

What is the Purpose of Norwood stress test :

• This norwood stress test is used of to the evaluate of to the posterior capsule of the shoulder which is check of to the posterior instability of the shoulder joint.

How do you perform of Norwood stress test ?

• Test position of the patient is supine .
• Into the supine position with to the shoulder at to the 90° abduction, with to the some external rotation, so that the arm is in the horizontal while the forearm is to the vertical & the elbow is at the 90° of the flexion.
• Examiner is stands at the affected side & places to the one hand on the shoulder with the thumb directed to the anteriorly while the other finger is positioned around to the back of the head of humerus & the other hand is holds onto the forearm proximal of to the wrist.
• So as to the control of the movement of the arm.
• Then the fingers are do the back of the humeral head.
• It is used of to feel the any posterior translocation while the arm is adducted into passively until to the arm is the vertical.

Second part of this test :

• It is recommend by the Cofield & Irving.
• Into the application of the norwood position then do the medial rotation of the forearm approximately the 20 ‘ after that the do the forword flexion & pushing of to the elbow posteriorly for the enhance of to the effect of the test.

What is the result of Norwood stress test?

• When the test is positive
• It is indicated the familiar sensation of the instability of the apprehension pain by the patient.
• This is may be do to the posterior semiluxation which is occur before the sensation is feel to the head of to humerus glides over onto the glenoid labrum.
• A clicking sound is caused by the passage of the head over to the glenoid rim may accompany either sublaxation or reduction.

Which is the Clinical Context of this test?

• It is estimated by to the posterior instability which is constitutes only 2% of to the shoulder dislocation make it to the least the common type of to the shoulder instability.
• Traumatic posterior shoulder dislocation is to the sequels of to the recurrent of the posterior instability but it is less of the common than to the anterior instability which is experienced due to the anterior dislocation.
• In the normal shoulder, this test position of to the flexion & adduction which is do the tightening of to the posterior capsule & restricts to the posterior humeral translation.
• If do the excessive movement which is detected to the significant capsular or labral injury is suspected.