Upper Limb Tension Tests (ULTTa)
What It Measures
The Upper Limb Tension Tests (ULTT) check whether nerves running from the neck down through the arm are being irritated or compressed somewhere along their path. During the test, a clinician gently moves the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and fingers into specific positions that gradually stretch a particular nerve, reproducing a person's arm pain or tingling if that nerve is the source of the problem.
Often called the "Elvey test" or "brachial plexus tension test," the ULTT is really a cluster of four related tests, each biased toward a different nerve (median, radial, or ulnar). Occupational and physical therapists use it in outpatient hand therapy and orthopedic settings to help identify nerve involvement in conditions like cervical radiculopathy or carpal tunnel syndrome. It's typically used alongside other clinical findings, since research shows the test procedures and positive-response criteria still vary somewhat between clinicians.
