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Manual Muscle Testing

Rehabilitation estimated about CNY 100-220

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Description

A clinical assessment technique using manual resistance to evaluate muscle strength and function, typically graded on a 0-5 scale according to standardized protocols like the Oxford Scale.

Main Uses

Assessing voluntary muscle strength for neurological and musculoskeletal diagnosis; monitoring disease progression or rehabilitation response (e.g., post-stroke, post-surgery, ICU-acquired weakness); guiding physical/occupational therapy interventions; establishing baseline function before treatment; detecting focal weakness to localize nerve root or peripheral nerve involvement.

Normal Range

Manual muscle testing (MMT) does not yield numerical values; it uses the Medical Research Council (MRC) scale, ranging from 0 to 5: 0 = no contraction; 1 = flicker or trace of contraction; 2 = movement with gravity eliminated; 3 = movement against gravity only; 4 = movement against gravity and moderate resistance; 5 = normal strength (full resistance). A score of 5/5 per muscle group is considered normal.

Low Values - Possible Causes

Neuromuscular disorders (e.g., peripheral neuropathy, ALS), deconditioning or disuse atrophy, acute or chronic musculoskeletal injury (e.g., rotator cuff tear, ACL rupture), central nervous system lesions (e.g., stroke, spinal cord injury), systemic illness (e.g., severe malnutrition, advanced cancer, inflammatory myopathies like polymyositis).

High Values - Possible Causes

Manual muscle testing (MMT) has no clinically meaningful 'high' value — scores cannot exceed 5/5. A rating >5/5 is not valid per MRC standards; apparent 'hyperstrength' may reflect compensatory strategies, tester error, inadequate resistance application, or misinterpretation (e.g., using synergistic muscles). True supranormal isolated muscle strength is not physiologically measurable via MMT.

manual muscle testing MRC scale muscle strength assessment

estimated about CNY 100-220