This is a clinical test to assess shoulder impingement – which means pinching of some of the shoulder muscle tendons against some of the bones of the shoulder.  The test is performed by having the patient point their elbow straight in front of them.  The examiner then moves the patient’s arm as if they were going to put their palm on the table (this is called “internally rotating the shoulder”). If this maneuver causes pain, it suggests irritation or inflammation of one of the rotator cuff tendons which is impinging (or pinching).