What is the purpose of the drop arm test?

• A. To diagnose adhesive capsulitis.
• B. To assess deltoid muscle strength.
• C. To detect large or full thickness rotator cuff tears.
• D. To evaluate biceps tendon stability.

Answer: (C)

The drop arm test is a provocative assessment of the rotator cuff, especially for large or full-thickness tears of the supraspinatus. When the arm is passively raised to about 90 degrees of abduction, the cuff must stabilize the humeral head as the arm is slowly lowered. If a large or full-thickness tear is present, the patient cannot control the descent and the arm drops abruptly (often with pain). This makes the test most useful for identifying significant rotator cuff tears rather than conditions like adhesive capsulitis or isolated deltoid weakness or biceps tendon issues.