Muscles in Action: An Approach to Manual Muscle Testing

This work is designed to offer students in a variety of disciplines a structured introduction to the evaluation of strength and function of the muscles of the human body, and to be an easy reference for the clinician in practical situations. The initial chapters address the fundamentals of muscle testing and the problems associated with it. The test position for most muscles of the body against the resistance of gravity and with gravity eliminated are provided, and demonstrated pictorially in each case. Abilities such as eye movements, swallowing and other essential functions have been included in an endeavour to broaden the scope of application of the evaluation of muscle. The authors have also tried to identify those clinical situations which frequently make muscle testing more difficult. Some of the pitfalls likely to interfere with the evaluation have been described and a commonsense approach to testing has been suggested. The sequencing of the testing procedure in lying, sitting and standing is presented in a tabular form as are the muscles which need to be evaluated in each of the major peripheral nerve injuries, and in lesions of the spinal cord at a variety of levels.