title: Ulnar nerve neurodynamic test: study of the normal sensory response in asymptomatic individuals.
abstract: METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe and analyze normal sensory responses to the ulnar upper-limb neurodynamic test (ULNT3) and to investigate the influence of sex and arm dominance.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Neurodynamic tests are commonly used in the clinical evaluation of patients with musculoskeletal pain disorders. While the normal responses of other upper-limb neurodynamic tests have been previously investigated, there are no studies that have reported the normal responses for the ULNT3.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 68 asymptomatic individuals between 18 and 50 years of age volunteered to participate in the study. Of these, 57 (29 women, 28 men) were eligible for the study. The variables measured were pain intensity using a numeric rating scale, shoulder abduction angle, and quality and distribution of symptoms at the point of pain tolerance of the ULNT3.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were statistically significant differences in pain intensity and shoulder abduction angle between the sexes, with women having higher perceived pain and lower shoulder angle than men (P<.05). There was a significant difference of 6.6° (95% confidence interval: 1.1°, 12.1°) in shoulder abduction angle during the ULNT3 (P<.05) between the dominant arm and nondominant arm. The symptoms most often described during application of the ULNT3 were stretching (90%), followed by pain, and the most frequent location of symptoms was the anteromedial half of the forearm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study provide the normal shoulder abduction angle and quality and distribution of symptoms for the ULNT3. These data can be used by clinicians as a reference when using the ULNT3 in their clinical reasoning and decision making.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University CEU Cardenal Herrera, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria Dolores Arguisuelas
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: Carlos López
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Cubas
authors.forename: Enrique Lluch
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Girbés
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D053587:Arthrometry, Articular; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012782:Shoulder / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D014459:Ulnar Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000294:innervation* / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult