Watson scaphoid shift test

Provocative test for scapholunate instability described by Watson: the examiner's thumb presses on the palmar tubercle of the scaphoid while the wrist moves from ulnar to radial deviation; painful dorsal subluxation of the scaphoid over the dorsal rim of the radius is positive. A painless positive test occurs in a third of uninjured lax wrists, so pain is the discriminating feature; the positive likelihood ratio against arthroscopy is about 2.9.

Related terms

• Anatomy

  Scaphoid

  The most lateral bone of the proximal carpal row, articulating with the radius and four other carpal bones. Boat-shaped, with proximal pole, waist, and distal tubercle. Approximately 80% covered by articular cartilage; the dorsal ridge is the principal vascular entry.

• Investigation

  Anatomical snuffbox tenderness

  Tenderness on direct palpation of the depression on the dorsoradial wrist bounded by the EPL and EPB tendons, with the floor formed by the scaphoid. A traditional clinical sign of scaphoid injury.

Articles mentioning this term

1. FESSH preparation · 26 September 2026

   Clinical examination of the hand and wrist

   Hand and wrist examination for FESSH candidates: how accurate the Phalen, Tinel, scratch collapse, Elson, Watson, grind, fovea and Allen tests really are.

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