SPECIFICITY OF THE SPEEDS TEST - ARTHROSCOPIC TECHNIQUE FOR EVALUATING THE BICEPS TENDON AT THE LEVEL OF THE BICIPITAL GROOVE

A positive Speed's test result is usually thought to suggest inflammat ion or lesions related to the biceps/labral complex. The specificity, sensitivity, and positive and negative predictive values are determine d for the Speed's test. A prospective study design was developed for a ll patients with shoulder pain who presented between October 1, 1994 a nd February 28, 1995. The clinical results of the Speed's test were co rrelated with biceps/labral pathology by direct arthroscopic visualiza tion. A neuroprobe is used to pull the biceps tendon into the articula r portion of the glenohumeral joint so as to visualize the biceps tend on at the level of the bicipital groove. Forty-six shoulders in 45 pat ients, 31 men (average age, 53 years; range, 16 to 76 years) and 14 wo men (average age, 64 years; range, 30 to 80 years) with 26 dominant an d 20 nondominant extremities were operated on during this time interva l. The clinical evaluation showed that the speed's test was positive i n 40 shoulders. Biceps/labral complex pathology was present in 10 of t hese patients. A specificity of 13.8%, a sensitivity of 90%, a positiv e predictive value of 23%, and a negative predictive value of 83% were calculated. Thus, it is concluded that the Speed's test is a nonspeci fic but sensitive test for macroscopic biceps/labral pathology. This c linical examination is positive with a various number of other patholo gical shoulder problems.