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Table 1 Summary recommendations for manual muscle testing.

From: Common errors and clinical guidelines for manual muscle testing: "the arm test" and other inaccurate procedures

1. Is the test used a standardized MMT of the muscle or group of muscles, or is it a general test, such as "the arm test" which does not specifically test the strength of any one muscle.

2. On how many muscles is the procedure valid?

3. Are the starting point and the direction of force the same each time the muscle is tested?

4. Does the tester apply the same force each time the muscle is tested, i.e. does the tester apply the force to the patient at a constant rate?

5. Is the contact point on the patient the same each time the muscle is tested?

6. Is the tester's hand contact with the patient the same each time the muscle is tested?

7. Are the tester's elbow, arm and forearm in the same position for each test?

8. Are the tester's shoulders relaxed and in the same plane each time the muscle is tested?

9. Is the tester's body in the same position with the core muscles of his body engaged in the same way each time he tests the muscle?

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Chiropractic & Manual Therapies

ISSN: 2045-709X