There are many little health checks people can do at home \u2015 from checking your pulse to breast self-exams. But one that might be less familiar is the thumb test. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s a relatively simple maneuver, but it has the potential to reveal clues about a possible heart issue. <\/p>\n
So what exactly does the \u201cthumb test\u201d entail and what should people know about it? Below, cardiologists break it down. <\/p>\n
What is the thumb test?<\/p>\n
\u201cThe thumb test is an easy test people can do to see if they are at increased risk for an aortic aneurysm,\u201d preventative cardiologist Dr. Tracy Paeschke<\/a> told HuffPost. \u201cThe thumb test involves laying your thumb across your flat palm. If your thumb extends beyond the edge<\/a> of your palm, this indicates joint laxity or stretchiness, which can be associated with connective tissue diseases.\u201d<\/p>\n Connective tissue diseases such as Marfan syndrome and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome are associated with a higher risk of aneurysms, particularly aortic aneurysms, because people with these conditions tend to have weakened blood vessel walls. <\/p>\n Also known as the thumb-palm test, the thumb test doesn\u2019t necessarily indicate that someone currently has an aneurysm. Rather, it helps detect the kind of joint hypermobility linked to these disorders \u2015 which carry an increased risk of aneurysms. <\/p>\n \u201cA study in 2021<\/a> showed that people with a positive thumb sign had a high likelihood of having an ascending aortic aneurysm, widening of the large blood vessel in the chest that carries blood from the heart to all parts of the body,\u201d Paeschke said. <\/p>\n What are the limitations of the thumb test?<\/p>\n \u201cRemember this is not a diagnostic test,\u201d said Dr. Marc Bonaca<\/a>, a cardiologist and vascular medicine specialist and chair of the American Heart Association PAD Collaborative. \u201cMost people with an aortic aneurysm will have a negative thumb test. Those who have a positive thumb test may have a connective tissue condition associated with aneurysm, but that does not mean they have an aneurysm.\u201d<\/p>\n Indeed, that same 2021 study that found those with a positive test were more likely to have an aortic aneurysm also noted that \u201cthe majority of aneurysm patients do not manifest a positive thumb-palm sign.\u201d Thus, a negative result does not exclude having an aneurysm.<\/p>\n \u201cThe thumb test is not considered accurate or reliable as a screening tool for an aortic aneurysm,\u201d said Dr. Tarak Rambhatla<\/a>, a cardiologist with Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute of Baptist Health South Florida. \u201cMany healthy people may have a \u2018positive\u2019 test without any mixed connective tissue disease or any vascular disease. And conversely, many others with aneurysms may have a normal thumb test. Screening for aneurysm is done with imaging such as echocardiography, CT or ultrasound \u2015 not physical maneuvers.\u201d<\/p>\n He believes the thumb test is \u201can interesting bedside sign linked to connective tissue disorders\u201d but otherwise can be misleading. <\/p>\n \u201cA positive result is nonspecific and may cause unnecessary anxiety, while a negative result may provide false reassurance to someone who actually has an aneurysm,\u201d Rambhatla said. \u201cOver-reliance on it could delay proper screening or surveillance with imaging in high-risk individuals. In short, it should never replace formal medical evaluation or guideline-based aneurysm screening.\u201d<\/p>\n