Jobe Test (Empty Can Test): how to assess the supraspinatus step by step

If your client or patient complains of pain when lifting the arm, or discomfort during lateral raises, the Jobe test (also known as the Empty Can Test) is one of the first ones you should pull out of your toolkit. It's the most well-known test for assessing the supraspinatus, one of the four rotator cuff muscles and, by far, the most commonly injured.

What does this test measure?

The Jobe test assesses the integrity and strength of the supraspinatus tendon, looking to reproduce pain and/or detect weakness when this muscle is damaged (tendinopathy, partial or full-thickness tear) or when subacromial impingement irritates it under resistance.

Equipment needed

• Nothing essential
• Optional: light resistance (a resistance band or just the weight of your hand) to grade the force applied

Step-by-step protocol

1. The subject stands with the arm raised to 90° in the scapular plane (about 30° forward from the frontal plane)
2. Ask them to internally rotate the arm, as if emptying a can (hence the name): thumb pointing down, palm facing down and slightly turned outward
3. Stand in front of the subject and apply downward resistance on the forearm, asking them to hold the position ("don't let your arm drop")
4. Watch for two things: whether pain appears and whether there's weakness compared to the other side
5. Repeat on the other arm to compare

Common mistakes

• Raising the arm in the pure frontal plane (90° of pure abduction) instead of the scapular plane, which can cause more non-specific impingement
• Applying resistance abruptly instead of progressively
• Not comparing with the healthy side, especially in recent unilateral complaints

How to interpret the result

Result	Interpretation
No pain, symmetrical strength	Negative — supraspinatus appears healthy
Pain without clear weakness	Possible tendinopathy or subacromial irritation of the supraspinatus
Marked weakness, with or without pain	Positive — suspect a partial or full-thickness supraspinatus tear, consider referral for imaging (ultrasound/MRI)

The sensitivity of the Jobe test for detecting supraspinatus pathology sits roughly between 60-90% depending on the study, with more variable specificity. That's why it's rarely used in isolation: combining it with other cuff tests greatly improves diagnostic accuracy.

Important: this is a screening test, not a diagnostic one. A positive result raises suspicion, but doesn't confirm a tear; that requires imaging and medical assessment.

Relationship with other tests

The Jobe test gains a lot of value when combined with:

• Neer Test — to assess subacromial impingement together
• Painful Arc — if pain appears in the mid-range of abduction, it reinforces suspicion of cuff/subacromial involvement

Track it over time

Shoulder pain related to the supraspinatus tends to evolve with training (for better or worse), and often the difference between the two comes down to adjusting pushing/raising volume in time. With Movalytics you can log the Jobe test result (positive/negative/inconclusive, with or without pain, with or without weakness) at each assessment, and see at a glance whether things are improving as you adjust the program.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Jobe test always hurt if there's a supraspinatus injury? Not necessarily. There can be weakness without pain (more typical of long-standing full-thickness tears) or pain without clear weakness (more typical of tendinopathies). Can I do this test if the client has severe acute pain? If the pain is very intense or there's suspicion of an acute traumatic injury (fall, blow), it's better to prioritize a medical evaluation before applying resistance. Can it differentiate between tendinopathy and a supraspinatus tear? Not on its own. It points toward supraspinatus involvement, but distinguishing between inflammation, degenerative tendinopathy, or a tear requires imaging (ultrasound or MRI).