[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-408715-105":59,"doc-detail-408715-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","a-simple-test-to-detect-deltoid-function-letter-to-the-editor","A Simple Test to Detect Deltoid Function - Letter to the Editor","","A clinical challenge remains in assessing deltoid reinnervation after brachial plexus injury, because traditional maneuvers may produce false negatives through compensatory muscle activation and may be limited by rotator cuff dysfunction. Electromyography has also not reliably shown early posterior deltoid reinnervation signs. The report describes a straightforward test to isolate and confirm voluntary posterior deltoid contraction at 90-degree abduction without resistance, applicable across nerve grafting, nerve transfers, or spontaneous recovery.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":35,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/a-simple-test-to-detect-deltoid-function-letter-to-the-editor/408715/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/a-simple-test-to-detect-deltoid-function-letter-to-the-editor/408715.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"MrHarris58","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-04","2026-09-28",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":52},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"Why are traditional deltoid assessment tests difficult after brachial plexus injury?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"Because abduction tests can involve compensatory activation of adjacent muscles, leading to false-negative results. Rotator cuff dysfunction may also interfere with testing.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What is the key step of the described simple clinical test?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"With the patient upright and the arm positioned at 90-degree abduction on a flat platform, the examiner observes for deltoid contraction when the elbow is lifted off the platform, without applying resistance.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"What does a positive test indicate?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"A positive result is visible contraction of the posterior deltoid fibers. The test is intended to help confirm isolated posterior deltoid reinnervation and guide recovery expectations.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},408715,1790696028,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":34,"category_name":35,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":52,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":14,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":143,"read_time":24,"preview_page_count":4},687212988360,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_276721f389ce27ea32af1340a28f341c","Article published online: 2025-08-06 472 Letter to the Editor  \nTHIEME  \nA Simple Test to Detect Deltoid Function  \nAnil Bhatia 1 Alex Franco de Carvalho2 Ruy Dantas Silveira Gois Neto3  \n1 Department of Brachial Plexus Surgery, Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital and Research Center, Pune, Maharashtra, India  \n2 Northeast Center of Plastic and Reconstructive Microsurgery, Brazil  \n3 Department of Hand and Microvascular Surgery, Federal University of Sergipe, Sergipe, Brazil  \nIndian J Plast Surg 2025;58:472–473.  \nAddress for correspondence Anil Bhatia, MS (Ortho), Department of Brachial Plexus Surgery, Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital and Research Center, Pune 411004, Maharashtra, India  \n(e-mail: [agbhatia63@gmail.com](agbhatia63@gmail.com)).  \nAssessment of deltoid reinnervation following brachial plexus injury remains a clinical challenge. Traditional tests, such as the Bertelli abduction-in-internal-rotation test, may yield false-negative results due to compensatory activation of adjacent muscles. Concomitant rotator cuff dysfunction may interfere with testing. Electromyography (EMG) has not proved to be efficient to document early signs of reinnervation of the posterior fibers of the deltoid.  \nWe describe a straightforward clinical test that allows the examiner to isolate and confirm voluntary contraction of the posterior deltoid. This test has been applied consistently over years of clinical follow-up and is applicable in cases of nerve grafting, nerve transfers, or spontaneous reinnervation of the axillary nerve.  \nMaterials and Methods  \nThe patient is examined while upright (sitting or standing) . The arm rests on a flat platform at 90 degrees abduction in the coronal plane. He/she is asked to lift the elbow off the platform. The examiner, standing behind the patient, then observes for contraction of the deltoid.  \nA positive test is defined by visible contraction of the posterior deltoid fibers ( ►Videos 1 and 2). Notably, no resistance is applied. The test is applicable irrespective of the reconstructive technique used (nerve grafts, transfers, or conservative observation).  \n| Video 1 |\n| --- |\n|  |\n\nVideo of a normal individual showing isolated contraction of the deltoid. Online content including video sequences viewable at: [https://www.thieme-connect](https://www.thieme-connect). com/products/ejournals/html/10. 1055/s-0045-1810111.  \n| Video 2 |\n| --- |\n|  |\n\nContraction of posterior fibers of the deltoid indicating early re-innervation. Online content including video sequences viewable at: [https://www.thieme-connect](https://www.thieme-connect). com/products/ejournals/html/10. 1055/s-0045-1810111.  \nDiscussion  \nEvaluation of the function of the deltoid is challenging. Attempted abduction inevitably involves use of the rotator cuff. Bertelli’s test has proved useful in detecting isolated deltoid deficit in the presence of an intact rotator cuff. However, there are clinical situations where the test has not proved useful in guiding clinical strategy. For instance, infraclavicular brachial plexus injuries following trivial trauma often present with axillary nerve injuries. In such cases, the impact is ata low velocity and spontaneous recovery is anticipated. However, abduction in internal rotation cannot be administered because of the rotator cuff weakness. The axillary nerve enters the deltoid from the posterior margin and those fibers will contractfirst( ►Fig.1). This test has proved uniformly successful in detecting the contraction of the deltoid so that further recovery can be expected and unnecessary nerve transfers can be avoided. Similarly, detection of this reinnervation on an EMG will also involve specific activation of the deltoid when the needle is inserted. So this report can also serve as a guideline for more accurate electrodiagnostic evaluation in such patients. This test addresses key limitations in the clinical evaluation of shoulder abduction following brachial plexus injury. By requiring only conscious activa","cbCaitZRf9VHgIzp","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaitZRf9VHgIzp","pdf",449174,"English","# Materials and Methods\n## Discussion\n## Limitations\n## Conclusion\n## References","[{\"question\":\"Why are traditional deltoid assessment tests difficult after brachial plexus injury?\",\"answer\":\"Because abduction tests can involve compensatory activation of adjacent muscles, leading to false-negative results. Rotator cuff dysfunction may also interfere with testing.\"},{\"question\":\"What is the key step of the described simple clinical test?\",\"answer\":\"With the patient upright and the arm positioned at 90-degree abduction on a flat platform, the examiner observes for deltoid contraction when the elbow is lifted off the platform, without applying resistance.\"},{\"question\":\"What does a positive test indicate?\",\"answer\":\"A positive result is visible contraction of the posterior deltoid fibers. The test is intended to help confirm isolated posterior deltoid reinnervation and guide recovery expectations.\"}]","A Simple Test to Detect Deltoid Function - Letter to the Editor | PDF",1790580323]