The Elbow

Technique

• The examiner keeps the arm slightly flexed and in an intermediate position between pronation en supination.
• The thumb of the contralateral hand is placed on top of the pronator teres, about 4-5 cm distally to the elbow.
• The other hand grasps the underarm at the level of the distal radio-ulnar joint.
• The patient is asked to pronate actively while the examiner compresses the pronator muscle.

A positive test (provocation of pain and paraesthesia in the area of sensory innervation of the median nerve) could indicate a compression of the nerve at the level of the pronator.