Motor Examination Flashcards
Describe the difference between a sign and a symptoms.
Sign = an objective measurement (BP, ROM, MMT, Reflexes) Symptom = subjective reporting; patient report/feelings (pain, dizziness, nausea, anxiety)
Describe a primary impairment.
A direct effect of a pathology or lesion.
Describe a secondary impairment.
Developed as a result of the original problem.
Example = bed sore
What does a positive pathology presentation tell you?
That there is a presence of abnormal behavior.
What does a negative presentation of pathology tell you?
That there is an absence of normal behavior.
What type of signs do you see with an UMN lesion?
- Weakness
- Increased reflexes
- Increased tone
What type of signs do you see with a LMN lesion?
- Weakness
- Atrophy
- Fasciculations
- Decreased reflexes
- Decreased tone
What do the neural contributions of strength reflect?
- Number of motor units recruited
- Type of motor units recruited
- Discharge frequency
What do the MSK contributions to strength reflect?
- Length of movement arm of the muscle
- Length/tension relationship of the muscle
- Cross-sectional area of muscle
- Type of muscle fiber
- Fiber arrangement
Describe weakness in the context of neuropathology.
- The inability to generate force, which leads to loss of movement, loss of power.
- The inability to correctly and/or adequately recruit or modulate motor neurons, leads to lack of muscle activity/immobility.
What may neurologically induced weakness result from?
- Cortical lesion
- Lesion in descending pathways.
- Peripheral nerve injury
- Synaptic dysfunction at neuromuscular junction
- Damage to muscle tissue
Does the extent and distribution of weakness depend on the extent and location of a lesion?
Yup.
What is paralysis or plegia?
Total or profound loss of muscle activity.
What is paresis?
Mild or partial loss of muscle activity.
Describe the different names of distribution for paralysis/plegia/paresis.
Mono = one limb Hemi = one side Para = one half Quad/tetra = whole body
What is a synergy?
When muscle/joint movements occur in stereotypical patterns. Can have flexor and extensor patterns.
Describe a flexor synergy (UE).
Scapula retraction and elevation, shoulder abduction and ER, elbow flexion, supination, wrist and finger flexion.
Describe a extensor synergy (LE).
Hip extension, adduction, IR, knee extension, ankle PF and inversion, toe PF.
What muscular actions would you perform for myotomes C5, C6, and C7?
C5 = shoulder abduction
C6 = elbow flexion, wrist extension
C7 = elbow extension, wrist flexion
What muscular actions would you perform for myotomes C8, T1, L1-L2?
C8 = finger flexion, thumb extension
T1 = finger adduction
L1-L2 = hip flexion
What muscular actions would you perform for myotomes L3, L4, L5, and S1?
L3 = knee extension
L4 = ankle dorsiflexion
L5 = great toe extension
S1 = plantarflexion
What position should you test myotomes in?
Seated!
Do you grade myotome testing?
Heck no! Looking for the duration that the patient can hold the position.