Wrist & Hand General Examination Special Test
Orthopedic Physical Examination & Clinical Assessment Guide
Clinical Context & Limitations
The Wrist & Hand General Examination should be considered as one component of a comprehensive musculoskeletal assessment. No single special test has perfect diagnostic accuracy; thus, clinical decision-making should integrate test results with patient-reported symptoms, mechanism of injury, functional impairment, and relevant imaging.
Clinicians should be aware of potential false-positive results in patients with pain sensitisation, muscle guarding, or poor relaxation. For the Wrist & Hand region, combining the Wrist & Hand General Examination with complementary examination tests significantly improves overall diagnostic confidence.
