Muscle Testing

Question 1

How do you palpate Upper Trap?

Answer 1

Standing at their head, find their SP of C7 then move slightly latterly to hit the muscle belly. Then have them resist you as you push their scap down towards their feet

Question 2

How do you palpate Middle Trap?

Answer 2

Standing from the opposite side, palm their scap and push outwards laterally as they try to bring their scap into their spine

Question 3

How do you palpate Lower Trap?

Answer 3

Have them hold their arm out straight out in front of them and then have them resist as you gently push their arm towards the floor “90 deg field goal”. Have their elbows bent at 90 palms parallel with floor and then gently push down on their elbow as they resist

Question 4

How do you palpate Rhomboid Major?

Answer 4

Plam their scap and rotate their scap upwards as they resist

Question 5

How to you palpate Rhomboid Minor?

Answer 5

Palm their scap and push up towards their head while they resist.

Question 6

How do you palpate Latissimus Dorsi?

Answer 6

“Handcuffs”. Have patient lying in prone put their arm extended behind their back and then have them resist as i am pushing their arm down towards the bed

Question 7

How do you palpate Spinalis?

Answer 7

Have the patient lying prone and then have them lift their head slightly off the table

Question 8

How do you palpate Longissimus?

Answer 8

Feel for the divot created by the spinalis then find the longissimus muscle belly then have patient lift head (further off bed than with spinalis)

Question 9

How do you palpate Iliocostalis?

Answer 9

Most lateral of the erector spinae group. Have patient extend their spine by lifting their head off the table

Question 10

How do you palpate Multifidus?

Answer 10

Locate the SP of a Lumbar Vertebrae and then the adjacent TP then push deep and feel between SP and TP then have the patient perform a straight leg lift off the table. But just slightly to feel the muscle swell

Question 11

How do you palpate Pec Major?

Answer 11

Pull their arm towards you to feel the medial insertion and have them resist. Adduction resistance. The sprinkler

Question 12

How do you palpate Pec Minor?

Answer 12

Find the coracoid process then move inferior then take the humerus and move it in a superior/inferior motion or have them make a Y with their arm and then pull down as they pull in. The Yeah Yeah Yeah

Question 13

Serratus Anterior

Answer 13

Patient lying supine have them do ceiling punches

Question 14

Rectus Abdominis

Answer 14

Have them bring their shoulder blades off the table into a slight crunch

Question 15

Quadratus Lumborum

Answer 15

Have the patent laying on their side and then grip their hip between your rib cage and forearm and pull their hip down into a side bend as you have them resist

Question 16

How to palpate Psoas Major?

Answer 16

Find the lateral edge of the rectus abdominis. Get deep to the TP of vertebrae then have the patient bring their knee up on the same side you are on, and place your elbow on their thigh and have them gently bring their thigh up against your elbow

Question 17

How do you palpate Rectus Capitis Post Major

Answer 17

Lying in supine, find the SP of C2 and then move slightly lateral. Once you find your place have them look up at you slightly

Question 18

How do you palpate Rectus Capitis Post Minor

Answer 18

Find SP of C2 then go barely lateral and push deep then have them look up at you slightly

Question 19

How do you palpate Obliquus Capitis Superior

Answer 19

Tilt the patients head to one side and follow their sternocleidomastoid up to their mastoid process. Then follow their occipital bone around to the back then move slightly posterior to find the muscle. The have the patient look to the opposite side than you are on

Question 20

How do you palpate Obliquus Capitis Inferior

Answer 20

Move slightly inferior from the superior and then have the patient look to the same side you are on

Question 21

How do you palpate Levator Scapulae

Answer 21

It is deep to the upper trap, between superior angle of scap and the TPs of C1-C8. The levator does same side rotation so have the patient push the side of their head into your arm

Question 22

How do you palpate Internal Obliques

Answer 22

If I am feeling on the right side then I would have the patient bring their left shoulder to their right knee because the internal obliques perform SS rotation

Question 23

How do you palpate External Obliques

Answer 23

If I am feeling on the right side then I would have the patient bring their right shoulder to their left knee

Question 24

Transvers Abdominis

Answer 24

Push deep between the belly button and the ASIS and then have the patent pulls their belly button towards their spine gently

Question 25

How do you palpate Sternocleidomastoid

Answer 25

Turn their head one way and then have the patient lift their head slightly off the table

Question 26

How to palpate anterior scalene

Answer 26

Find the insertion of the sternocleidomastoid into the clavicle and then move slightly anterior to that point. After finding the point have the patient sniff

Question 27

How to palpate middle Scalene

Answer 27

Move slightly lateral from the anterior scalene. Have patient sniff.

Question 28

How to palpate posterior scalene

Answer 28

Find boarder of upper trap muscle then push it out of the way and sink a little posteriorly. Have the patient preform SS side-bending by them resisting me pushing their head OS side bend

Question 29

How to palpate 1st rib

Answer 29

Line up the TPs of the upper cervical spine with the radius side of hand and then push down towards base of neck with thumb. SO grab the sides of the neck under the ears and then move the thumb inferior and slightly lateral. If you cant feel it side bend them towards you to minimize the slack

Question 30

How do you palpate the Semispinalis Capitis

Answer 30

provide pressure on the base of the occipital bone and have them resist slightly by trying to look up . You should see tiny bulges at the base of the head

Question 31

How to palpate the AP of the cervical spine

Answer 31

The APs are just the posterior part of the TPs. Find the SP of C2 and then move laterally. Passively move the neck side to side in order to feel if you are on them

Question 32

How to palpate Iliolumbar Ligament

Answer 32

Find the PSIS and then the TP of L5 then go medially between the two then push deep and then passively move their hip towards their feet to create tension in the ligament. If you cant feel it have them rest their arm over their head

Question 33

How to palpate floating ribs

Answer 33

Have the patient laying on their side. They are superior to the iliac crest and inferior to cartilaginous margin of the 10 rib

Question 34

How to palpate the Psoas Major

Answer 34

Find the lateral edge of the rectus abdominis then push deep to the TPs of the lumber vertebrae. Rock back and fourth to gain depth. Have the patient bring SS knee up and then place your elbow on their thigh then have them gently bring their thigh up into your arm