Various clinical tests, which
should be a symptom of tendinitis of the long head of the biceps, are described
– i.e.. Yergasson sign. But their meaning for a determination of a diagnosis
of tenovaginitis is debatable. The meaning of these maneuvers is rather in a
telling of a possible suspicion of possible pathology of the long head of the
biceps of any etiology (not only tendinitis, but also ruptures). But definitely
they are not reliable enough. Without any doubts it is possible to claim that at
the suspicion of pathology of the long head of the biceps resulting from
clinical state (see clinical picture of bicipital
tendinitis and tenovaginitis) is more suitable to make the ultrasound examination
of the shoulder which is highly sensitive, especially in the area of the long
head of the biceps than to make clinical tests.
In the area of the long head of
the biceps there are other structures (for example, a rotator cuff and a
subdeltoid bursa) which at their pathology
can evoke the same clinical problems because of their closeness to the
long head of the biceps. Tenovaginitis can have various etiology. It is
necessary to connect this diagnosis with an etiologic factor which evokes it –
for example, staphylococcal tenovaginitis, traumatic tenovaginitis after
overloading, or tenovaginitis at rheumatoid arthritis etc. In this case the
clinical tests have no meaning too.