MANUAL MUSCLE EXAMINATION

Manual muscle testing is a procedure for the evaluation of the function and strength of
individual muscles and muscle groups based on effective performance of limb movement in
relation to the forces of gravity and manual resistance. Maximum muscular strength is the
maximum amount of tension or force that a muscle or muscle group can voluntarily exert in
one maximal effort, when the type of muscle contraction, limb velocity, and joint angle are
specified. We will only be concerned with two types of muscle contractions for this type of
examination: isometric (static) and concentric. Other types of muscle contractions to learn and
to incorporate into the testing of athletes are: isotonic, isokinetic, and eccentric. Isometric
contractions occurs when there is tension developed within the muscle but no movement
occurs. The two insertion sites do not change positions, and the muscle length does not change.
Concentric contractions develop tension within the muscle, the two insertion sites move closer
together, and the muscle shortens. Some muscles will cross two or more joints. When those
muscles produce simultaneous movement at all of the joints it crosses, the muscle will reach
such a shortened position that it no longer has the ability to develop effective tension. This is
called Active Insufficiency. Three functional classifications of muscles will be used with Manual
Muscle Testing: prime mover or agonist, antagonist, and synergist. The agonist muscle or
muscle group makes the major contribution to movement at a joint. Antagonist muscles have
an opposite action to the agonists. To some degree, the antagoist muscle relaxes as the agonist
moves through part of the ROM. Synergists are muscles that work along with agonists to
produce the desired movement. They can work in three characteristic ways: as neutralizing or
counteracting synergists (prevent unwanted movements), conjoint synergists (work together to
produce the desired movement), or stabilizing or fixating synergists (stabilize proximal joint
movement).
Many factors will affect strength: age, type of contraction, muscle size, speed of contraction,
training effect, joint position, and fatigue. Other factors such as nutrition, level of motivation,
pain, body type, sport, and limb dominance will not be considered here. As age increases
through about age 28, strength may increase, but as age increases from there strength usually
decreases due to a decrease in fiber size and number, an increase in connective tissue an fat as
replacement, a decrease in energy capacity of the muscle. More tension can be generated
through eccentric contractions than isometric, and concentric contraction produce the least
tension. Generally, the larger the cross-sectional area of a muscle the greater the strength. For
concentric contractions, contraction forces decrease as the speed of contraction increases. The
opposite is true for eccentric contractions. Strength can be seen to increase as the athlete
becomes familiar with and learns the test situation. The turning effect about a joint that is
produced by contraction of muscle is called the moment of force or torque. Torque can be
measured as the product of the muscle force and the perpendicular distance between the joint
axis of rotation and the muscle force. The optimal angle for the muscle to produce peak torque
is at an angle of 90 degrees to the moving shaft. At greater or lesser angles, there are greater
or lesser stabilizing, compressing, and distracting forces applied at the joint. Regardless of the
type of muscle contraction, a muscle contracts with more force when it is stretched than when
it is shortened. The angle of muscle pull and the length-tension relation interact to produce the

muscle force curve. When testing isometrically at several angles, most muscles will have a
decrease in strength the stretch and beginning ranges to the shortened and ending ranges. As
the athlete fatigues, muscle strength decreases.

The joint position may be a factor in developing a manual muscle test. When the joint surfaces
are fully congruent, there is usually maximum tension in the joint capsule. This is called a closepacked position of the joint. Close-packed positions should be avoided when testing muscle
strength. However, a loose-packed position is one of low surface congruency and lax capsule.
The least congruent and most lax position of a joint is its resting position. This last position
might be the desired position to test isometric strength for painful joints.
The contraindications for manual muscle testing are mostly the following: the presence of an
inflammatory process or infection in the involved muscles and joints, painful conditions that
might interfere with the severity of the symptoms, a history of cardiovascular problems (use
care), abdominal surgery, excessive fatigue, and all of the contraindications for ROM testing.

MME Procedures
The movements listed at the end of this packet are for manual strength testing. This is an
important tool for assessing bone, joint, nerve, and muscle function. For each movement, you
will be required to introduce yourself for purposes of establishing rapport; give an explanation
of the procedure and provide instruction about the testing; following this you will instruct the
person to assume an appropriate position for testing; maneuver yourself for stabilization of
unwanted movement; ask the person to move fully in the appropriate direction; when they
begin moving you will provide an appropriate amount of resistance throughout the range and
for a number of repetitions; and on the last repetition you will have them perform an isometric
end range resistance. Following this procedure, an assessment with grading is done that
follows a scheme for muscle strength ranging from 0-5. A muscle grade of 5 or Normal
indicates that the patient moves through a full available ROM against gravity and against
maximal resistance through the range and at end range. On the other end of the spectrum, a
grade of 0 or Zero indicates that none of the available ROM is present even with gravity
eliminated and there is no palpable nor observable muscle contraction. Minus and plus grades
are used to fill in the gaps between gross measures with approximate percentage ranges. You
should be able to perform this test for a single direction in less than 2 minutes.

Manual Muscle Examination

Trunk Flexion - Bend at the waist for upper and flex at the pelvis for lower
Position:

Supine with the hips and knees flexed

Resistance: None; or move arms; or repeat; or weight of legs; or

hand at upper chest
Stabilization: Pelvis for upper; none for lower
Muscles:

Upper Rectus Abdominus; Lower Rectus Abdominus

Trunk Rotation - Twist at the waist

Position:

Supine with legs extended

Resistance: None; or with arms; or at opposite shoulder

Stabilization: Pelvis and legs

Muscles:
Internal Oblique R with External Oblique L for R
Rotation and vise versa
Trunk Extension- Arch backward at the waist
Position:

Prone, with hips over a pillow and hands resting on the buttocks
Resistance: Lower portion of the thoracic spine

Stabilization: Pelvis and hips

Muscles:

Erector Spinae

Elevation of the Pelvis - Raise the stiff leg axially

Position:

Standing on a block or stool

Resistance: At iliac crest

Stabilization: Trunk on the opposite side

Muscles:

Quadratus Lumborum

Hip Flexion - Bring the knee to the chest

Position:

Sitting
Resistance: Proximal knee at anterior surface

Stabilization: Opposite side of pelvis

Muscles:

Psoas Major, Iliacus, Rectus Femoris

Substitution: The hip abducts and laterally rotates with Sartorius

contraction; the hip abducts and medial rotates with tensor fasciae
latae contraction
Hip Extension - Raise the leg behind the body
Position:

Prone with the trunk flexed over a table and the knee flexed
Resistance: Proximal to the knee on the posterior thigh

Stabilization: Pelvis
Muscles:

Gluteus Maximus

Hip Abduction - Raise the leg to the side

Position:

Sidelying
Resistance: Proximal to the knee at the lateral side

Stabilization: Pelvis
Muscles:

Gluteus Medius, Gluteus Minimus

Substitution: Quadratus Lumborus will tilt the pelvis; with slight

supine rotation of the trunk and 45 degrees of hip flexion, Tensor
Fasciae Latae will abduct

Hip Adduction - Bring the leg to the midline

Position:

Sidelying
Resistance: Proximal to the knee at the medial side (lower)

Stabilization: Pelvis, while holding the other leg in abduction

Muscles:
Adductor Longus, Adductor magnus, Adductor Brevis,
Gracilis, Pectineus

Hip Lateral Rotation - Bring the foot toward the midline when the legs are over a table
Position:

Supine with the knees off the end of a table

Resistance: Distal tibia at the medial side

Stabilization: Knee at the lateral side

Muscles:
Obturator Externus, Obturator Internus, Superior
Gemellus, Inferior Gemellus, Quadratus Femoris, Piriformis

Hip medial Rotation - Push the foot away from the midline when the legs are over a table
Position:

Supine with the knees of the end of a table

Resistance: Distal tibia at the lateral side

Stabilization: Knee at the medial side

Muscles:

Gluteus Medius, Gluteus Minimus

Neck Flexion - Bend the head toward the chest

Position:

Supine, with the chin in a tuck position

Resistance: Applied to the anterior forehead

Stabilization: Thorax
Muscles:
Sternocleidomastoid; Anterior, Middle, and Posterior Scalenes;
Longus Colli; Longus Capitus

Neck Extension- Raise the head up to look straight ahead

Position:

Prone with the chin resting over a pillow or end of the table

Resistance: Occiput
Stabilization: Upper thorax
Muscles:

Splenius Capitis, Splenius Cervicis, Superior fibers of the Trapezius

Plantar Flexion - Press on the gas pedal of a car or point the toes and foot
Position:

Prone lying with foot over the edge of the table or standing

Resistance: Posterior surface of the rearfoot or body weight

Stabilization: Use resistance at the leg or standing balance
Muscles:

Gastrocnemius, Soleus, Plantaris

Note: To isolate the Soleus, flex the knee to 90 degrees

Dorsiflexion and Inversion - Bring the toes up (big toe first) toward the leg
Position:

Sitting with knee flexed over the table

Resistance: Medial dorsal aspect of forefoot

Stabilization: Lower leg
Muscles:

Anterior Tibialis

Inversion - Bring the bottom of the foot to fact the other leg
Position:

Sidelying, leg on bottom to be tested with ankle off table

Resistance: Medial border of the forefoot

Stabilization: Lower leg
Muscles:

Tibialis Posterior

Eversion - Neutral ankle with the little toe brought out and up
Position:

Sidelying, upper leg is test leg with ankle off table

Resistance: Lateral border of forefoot

Stabilization: Lower leg
Muscles:

Peroneus Longus, Brevis, and Tertius

Knee Extension - straighten the knee

Position:

Semi-sitting with the hip flexed 5-45o and knee flexed 90o

Resistance: Anterior surface of the tibia proximal to the ankle joint

Stabilization: At the thigh
Muscles:

Quadriceps femoris muscles: rectus, medialis, intermedius, lateralis

Knee Flexion - bend the knee

Position:

Prone with hip flexed and in neutral rotation and knee flexed 10o
Resistance: Posteriorly, proximal to the ankle joint and in lateral
rotation for the biceps femoris; medial rotation for the
semitendinosus and semimembranosus

Stabilization: At the thigh, if weak flexion will occur at the hip

Muscles:

Semimembranosus, Semitendinosus, Biceps Femoris

Substitutions: Ankle flexion will add gastrocnemius and Plantaris
action; Gracilis will assist when the hip is in adduction; Sartorius will
assist in hip flexion and abduction

Shoulder Elevation - Raise the shoulders toward the ears

Position:

Sitting or standing

Resistance: Superior at acromion processes

Stabilization: Use resistance at both shoulders, or at head unilaterally
Muscles:
Superior fibers of trapezius, Levator scapulae
Scapular Adduction - Bring scapulae together
Position:

Prone lying, arm laterally rotated (thumb up)

Resistance: At distal humerus

Stabilization: Contralateral thorax
Muscles:

Middle fibers of Trapezius

Scapular Adduction and Depression - Raise arm above the head

Position:

Prone lying, shoulder abducted to 130 degrees

Resistance: Distal humerus

Stabilization: Contralateral thorax
Muscles:

Inferior fibers of Trapezius

Scapular Adduction and Downward Rotation - Pull scapulae together

Position:

Prone lying, arm medially rotated (thumb down)

Resistance: Distal humerus

Stabilization: Contralateral thorax
Muscles:

Rhomboid Major and Minor m.

Scapular Abduction and Upward Rotation - Fingertips to opposite shoulder

Position:

Supine or sitting/standing

Resistance: Proximal ulna

Stabilization: Contralateral chest
Muscles:

Serratus Anterior

Shoulder Flexion - Raise the arm in front to above the head

Position:

Sitting or standing

Resistance: Distal humerus

Stabilization: Use resistance at both arms, or at chest unilaterally
Muscles:

Anterior deltoid, Coracobrachialis m.

Shoulder Extension - Move the arm behind at the side

Position:

Prone

Resistance: Distal humerus

Stabilization: Contralateral thorax
Muscles:

Posterior deltoid, Teres major, latissimus dorsi m.

Shoulder Abduction - Raise the arm to the side

Position:

Sitting or standing

Resistance: Distal humerus

Stabilization: Use resistance at both arms, or at ipsilateral shoulder
Muscles:

Middle deltoid, Supraspinatus m.

Shoulder Horizontal Abduction - Raise arm at side and pull scapula together
Position:

Prone lying

Resistance: Distal humerus

Stabilization: Contralateral thorax
Muscles:

Posterior deltoid m.

Shoulder Horizontal Adduction - Raise the arm at the side and pull across the chest
Position:

Supine lying

Resistance: Distal humerus

Stabilization: Contralateral chest
Muscles:

Pectoralis major m.

Shoulder Lateral Rotation - Rotate the hand toward head

Position:

Prone lying, hook

Resistance: Distal radius

Stabilization: Ipsilateral scapula
Muscles:

Infraspinatus, Teres minor m.

Shoulder Medial Rotation - Rotate hand toward the feet

Position:

Prone lying, hook

Resistance: Distal radius

Stabilization: Ipsilateral scapula

Muscles:

Subscapularis, Pectoralis major, Latissimus dorsi, Teres major m.

Elbow Flexion - Raise the hand to touch the same shoulder

Position:

Sitting or standing

Resistance: Distal supinated forearm

Stabilization: Upper arm over the anterior shoulder
Muscles:

Biceps brachii, Brachialis, Brachioradialis

Elbow Extension - Straighten the arm

Position:

Supine lying, arm at 90 degrees and elbow fully flexed

Resistance: At distal forearm

Stabilization: Distal humerus
Muscles:

Triceps brachii

Forearm Pronation - Turn the hand palm down

Position:

Sitting or Standing, 90 degrees flexed at elbow

Resistance: Distal forearm

Stabilization: Distal Humerus
Muscles:

Pronator teres, Pronator quadratus

Forearm Supination - Turn the hand palm up

Position:

Sitting or standing, 90 degrees flexed at the elbow

Resistance: Distal forearm

Stabilization: Distal humerus
Muscles:

Biceps brachii, Supinator

Wrist Flexion - Bring the palm toward the elbow

Position:

Sitting with forearm resting on a table

Resistance: At base of the 2nd MC; and base of the 5th MC

Stabilization: Forearm (relax fingers and elbow)
Muscles:

Flexor Carpi radialis, Flexor carpi ulnaris

Wrist Extension - Raise the dorsum of the hand toward the elbow
Position:

Sitting with the forearm in pronation and resting on a table

Resistance: At 2nd and 3rd MC, and 5th MC

Stabilization: Forearm
Muscles:
Extensor carpi radialis brevis, Extensor carpi radialis
longus, Extensor carpi ulnaris
Flexion of MCP Joints - Make an L with the hand
Position:

Sitting, resting the supinated forearm on a table

Resistance: Palmar surface of the proximal row of phalanges

Stabilization: Dorsum of metacarpals
Muscles:

Lumbricales, Dorsal Interossei

Flexion of PIP and DIP Joints - Make a fist

Position:

Sitting, forearm supinated and resting on a table

Resistance: PIP: palmar surface of middle phalanx; DIP: palmar
surface of distal phalanx

Stabilization: PIP: proximal phalanx; DIP: middle phalanx

Muscles:

PIP: Flexor digitorum superficialis; DIP: Flexor digitorum profundus

Extension of MCP Joints - Flatten hand with fingers relaxed

Position:

Sitting, pronated forearm resting on table

Resistance: Dorsal surface of proximal row of phalanges

Stabilization: Metacarpals
Muscles:

Extensor digitorum, Extensor indicis, Extensor digiti minimi

Finger Abduction - Spread fingers

Position:

Sitting, pronated forearm resting on table

Resistance: Proximal phalanx on radial side of one and ulnar side of the next
Stabilization: Metacarpals
Muscles:

Dorsal interossei, Abductor digiti minimi

Finger Adduction - Bring fingers together

Position:

Sitting, pronated forearm resting on table

Resistance: Ulnar or radial side at the proximal phalanx

Stabilization: Metacarpals
Muscles:

Palmar interossei

Flexion of MCP and IP Joints of Thumb - Touch thumb to palm

Position:

Sitting, supinated forearm resting on a table

Resistance: MCP: palmar surface of proximal phalanx; IP: palmar
surface of distal phalanx

Stabilization: First metacarpal

Muscles:

MCP: Flexor policis brevis; IP: Flexor policis longus

Extension of MCP and IP Joints of Thumb - Straighten thumb

Position:

Sitting, neutral forearm resting on a table

Resistance: MCP: dorsal surface of proximal phalanx; IP: dorsal
surface of distal phalanx

Stabilization: First metacarpal

Muscles:

MCP: Extensor policis brevis; IP: Extensor policis longus

Thumb Abduction - Pull thumb away from the index finger

Position:

Sitting, supinated forearm resting on a table

Resistance: Lateral border of proximal phalanx of thumb and distal
end of MC

Stabilization: Medial four MC and wrist

Muscles:

Abductor pollicis longus, abductor pollicis brevis

Thumb Adduction - Bring thumb to the side of the index finger

Position:

Sitting, pronated forearm resting on a table

Resistance: Medial border of proximal phalanx

Stabilization: Medial four MC

Muscles:

Adductor pollicis

Thumb Opposition - Touch thumb to little finger

Position:

Sitting, supinated forearm resting on a table

Resistance: Distal 1st and 5th MC

Stabilization: Metacarpals
Muscles:

Opponens pollicis, Opponens digiti minimi