Cozen's test is a

physical examination In a physical examination, medical examination, or clinical examination, a medical practitioner examines a patient for any possible medical signs or symptoms of a medical condition. It generally consists of a series of questions about the pati ...

performed to evaluate for

lateral epicondylitis Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis or enthesopathy of the extensor carpi radialis origin, is a condition in which the outer part of the elbow becomes painful and tender. The pain may also extend into the back of the forearm. Onset ...

or, tennis elbow. The test is said to be positive if a resisted

wrist In human anatomy, the wrist is variously defined as (1) the carpus or carpal bones, the complex of eight bones forming the proximal skeletal segment of the hand; "The wrist contains eight bones, roughly aligned in two rows, known as the carp ...

extension triggers pain to the lateral aspect of the elbow owing to stress placed upon the tendon of the

extensor carpi radialis brevis In human anatomy, extensor carpi radialis brevis is a muscle in the forearm that acts to extend and abduct the wrist. It is shorter and thicker than its namesake extensor carpi radialis longus which can be found above the proximal end of the exten ...

muscle. The test is performed with extended

elbow The elbow is the region between the arm and the forearm that surrounds the elbow joint. The elbow includes prominent landmarks such as the olecranon, the cubital fossa (also called the chelidon, or the elbow pit), and the lateral and the me ...

. NOTE: With elbow flexed the extensor carpi radialis longus is in a shortened position as its origin is the lateral suracondylar ridge of the humerus. To rule out the ECRB (extensor carpi radialis brevis), repeat the test with the elbow in full extension.

References

Physical examination Medical signs {{Orthopedics-stub