Video 7.9. Lift Off Test

The examiner performs the lift off test on the patient’s right and left shoulders. The patient is instructed to place the dorsum of the hand on their back with the elbow held in about 90 degrees of flexion. The test result is considered positive if the patient is unable to internally rotate the shoulder and lift the hand off the back. A positive test indicates a deficit of the subscapularis. Here, the patient is successfully able to lift off her right hand but is unable to lift off her left hand. The patient has a positive left-sided lift off test.