Understanding the Flick Sign Assessment
A symptom-based history sign used to screen for **Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)**.
Watch How It's Done
How do I start?
N/A (This is a historical cue, not a physical exam test).
What happens?
The clinician asks the patient if they find themselves **'flicking'** their wrist (shaking or moving the hand/wrist vigorously) in an attempt to relieve symptoms of numbness, tingling, or pain.
In Plain English
What Does a Positive Result Mean?
The patient reports the use of a **'flicking' motion** as a way to alleviate numbness/paresthesia in the median nerve distribution.
Helpful Tip:
This has a high reported sensitivity in history-taking for CTS, as the flicking motion is thought to briefly change the pressure within the carpal tunnel.
Safety First
This guide is to help you understand what happens in a clinic. Do not try to diagnose yourself. If you have severe pain, swelling, or cannot put weight on your leg, please visit an urgent care center or your doctor immediately.
Other Wrist/Hand Tests
Beighton Score
To quantify **generalized joint hypermobility** (laxity) across the body. The wrist/hand components assess passive joint laxity.
Bunnell-Littler Test (or Finochietto-Bunnell Test)
To differentiate between **Intrinsic Muscle tightness** (interossei and lumbricals) and **Capsular restriction** at the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint.
De Quervain's Tenosynovitis
This is the **condition name** (inflammation of the APL and EPB tendons), not a specific test. The Finkelstein Test is the primary diagnostic test.
Elson Test
To assess the integrity of the **Central Slip** of the Extensor Digitorum Communis (EDC) tendon, rupture of which leads to a Boutonniere deformity.