Manual Muscle Testing

Question 1

Shoulder Flexion:

Answer 1

Muscle: Anterior Deltoid
Position (5): sitting upright, flex arm to 90 degrees
Position (2): side-lying, support at the shoulder on the same arm and the forearm
Palpation: Anterioir Deltoid
Stabilization: same shoulder
Resistance: over the lateral elbow

Question 2

Shoulder Extention:

Answer 2

Muscle: Latissimus Dorsi & Teres Major
Position (5): Prone, raise arm off the mat
Position (2): side-lying, support at armpit/forearm, allow to bring arm back
Palpation: Latissimus Dorsi & Teres Major
Stabilization: scapular of the same arm
Resistance: posterior elbow

Question 3

Shoulder Abduction:

Answer 3

Muscle: Middle Deltoid & Supraspinatus
Position (5): sitting upright, snow angel and then bring to 90 degrees,
Position (2): Prone, bring arm up like making a snow angel, support shoulder/forearm
Palpation: Middle deltoid
Stabilization: same shoulder
Resistance: Lateral elbow

Question 4

Horizontal Abduction:

Answer 4

Muscle: Posterior Deltoid
Position (5): Prone, arm hanging off, bring elbow to ceiling
Position (2): sitting upright, support forearm 90 degrees, bring arm to opposite shoulder
Palpation: posterior deltoid
Stabilization: same shoulder
Resistance: posterior elbow

Question 5

Horizontal Adduction:

Answer 5

Muscle: Pectoralis major clavicular & Sternal
Position (5): supine, arm in 90 degrees, reach for opposite shoulder
Position (2): upright sitting, support arm in 90 degrees, reach for opposite shoulder
Palpation: Pectoralis major clavicular
Stabilization: same shoulder
Resistance: anterior elbow

Question 6

Internal Rotation:

Answer 6

Muscle: Subscapularis (too deep to palpate)
Position (5): prone, arm hanging off, palm towards ceiling
Position (2): upright sitting
Palpation:
Stabilization: palm elbow (2), back of upper arm (5)
Resistance: anterior wrist

Question 7

External Rotation:

Answer 7

Muscle: Infraspinatus & Teres minor (too deep to palpate)
Position (5): Prone, arm hanging, rotate posterior forearm to ceiling
Position (2): upright sitting, elbow flexed, bring arm from navel to side of body
Palpation: Infraspinatus
Stabilization: Back of upper arm
Resistance: Posterior wrist

Question 8

Elbow Flexion:

Answer 8

Muscle: Biceps, Brachialis, Brachioradialis
Position (5): sitting upright, supinate forearm, flex elbow
Position (2): sitting upright, shoulder 90 degrees, support at wrist/upper arm, flex elbow
Palpation: Biceps
Stabilization: palm around the posterior elbow
Resistance: Anterior wrist

Question 9

Elbow Extension:

Answer 9

Muscle: Triceps
Position (5): sitting upright, shoulder 180/elbow flexed, bring shoulder slightly down
Position (2): sitting upright, shoulder 90, elbow flexed, support upper ar/forearm, ask to extend the elbow
Palpation: Triceps
Stabilization: Posterior upper arm
Resistance: lateral wrist

Question 10

Supination:

Answer 10

Muscle: Supinator
Position (5): sitting upright, elbow flexed, forearm supinated, don’t let me pronate your arm
Position (2): sitting upright
Palpation: Supinator, shoulder 90, elbow flexed, start hand facing away from you, turn hand toward you
Stabilization: elbow
Resistance: wrist rotate to prone

Question 11

Pronation:

Answer 11

Muscle: Pronator teres & pronator quadratus (too deep to palpate)
Position (5): sitting upright, elbow flexed, forearm pronated, don’t let me supinate your arm
Position (2): sitting upright, shoulder 90, elbow flexed, start hand facing you, turn hand away from you
Palpation: anterior forearm/proximally
Stabilization: elbow
Resistance: wrist rotate to supine

Question 12

Flexion/Adduction:

Answer 12

Muscle: Corocobrachialis
Position (5): supine
Position (2): supine, support upper arm/wrist, bring arm up and over to the opposite shoulder
Palpation: Corocobrachialis
Stabilization: same shoulder
Resistance: anterior upper shoulder

Question 13

Scapular Elevation:

Answer 13

Muscle: Upper Trapezius & Levator Scapulae
Position (5):
Position (2):
Palpation:
Stabilization:
Resistance:

Question 14

Scapular Depression/Upward Rotation:

Answer 14

Muscle: Lower Trapezius
Position (5):
Position (2):
Palpation:
Stabilization:
Resistance:

Question 15

Scapular Adduction:

Answer 15

Muscle: Middle Trapezius
Position (5):
Position (2):
Palpation:
Stabilization:
Resistance:

Question 16

Scapular Abduction/Lateral Rotation:

Answer 16

Muscle: Serratus Anterior
Position (5):
Position (2):
Palpation:
Stabilization:
Resistance:

Question 17

Scapular Adduction/Medial Rotation:

Answer 17

Muscle: Rhomboids major & minor
Position (5):
Position (2):
Palpation:
Stabilization:
Resistance: