It is difficult to diagnose capsular injuries (CI) with an ordinary apprehension test. We applied a new method of apprehension test on anterior recurrent dislocation of shoulders to evaluate whether the modified apprehension test can distinguish CI or not. Between October 2007 and March 2009, 198 shoulders underwent arthroscopic Bankart repair. Among these, 186 shoulders (141 males, 45 females, average age: 25.7 years old) were underwent a new apprehension test, which assessed apprehension sign (4 grades; none, weak, moderate, strong) from 0 to 180 degrees at abduction by every 30 degrees with patients lying down on a bed. Twenty-seven shoulders had CI at anterior glenohumeral ligaments. There was no statistical difference concerning as age and sex between the two groups. Bony Bankart lesion occurred at low frequency, and attached/attenuated type and negative occured at high frequency on shoulders with CI. Shoulders with CI had significantly high frequency of slight apprehension at 60 degrees and strong apprehension sign at 30 degrees compared with those without CI. Comparing degrees of the most severe apprehension sign within each shoulder, there was no statistical difference between the two groups. The modified apprehension test is a useful method of physical examination for CI.
