Durkans Test

Durkan’s test / Carpal Compression Test (Durkan, 1991)
Test Procedure:
• Examiner compresses median nerve with direct pressure from both thumbs over transverse carpal ligament for 30 seconds. One thumb is placed distal to the other. The desired pressure is 150mm Hg.
Positive results:
• Increased numbness and tingling in the distribution of the median nerve distal to the transverse carpal ligament
Negative Results:
• No change; wrist pain
Implications of positive test result:
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• The examiner can also record when the patient noticed increasing N/T as a way of grading the result.
Psychometric Properties: (MacDermid & Wessel, 2004)
Sensitivity: 0.64 Specificity: 0.83
LR+: 3.8 LR-: 0.4
Durkan, J. A. (1991). A new diagnostic test for carpal tunnel syndrome. J Bone Joint Surg Am, 73(4), 535-538.
MacDermid, J. C., & Wessel, J. (2004). Clinical diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome: a systematic review. J Hand Ther, 17(2), 309-319. doi:10.1197/j.jht.2004.02.015