Indications:

Duga’s test is a shoulder examination used to indicate a dislocated or fractured shoulder.

Procedure:

  1. Patient seated; examiner instructs patient to reach across body, place hand on opposite shoulder & pull their elbow against their chest; examiner may apply gentle A→P overpressure on the flexed elbow.
Duga's test for shoulder

Patient seated; examiner instructs patient to reach across body, place hand on opposite shoulder & pull their elbow against their chest; examiner may apply gentle A→P overpressure on the flexed elbow.

Interpretation:

Positive Inability to complete test (patient cannot bring flexed elbow to anterior chest wall) → shoulder dislocation, GH joint/muscle contracture.

Clinical notes:

With shoulder dislocation there is always associated rotator cuff & glenoid labral damage.