Manual Muscle Testing: Plantarflexion

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Muscles Involved:

• Gastrocnemius
• Soleus

OR

• Soleus only

Patient Positioning

For testing gastrocnemius and soleus together:

• Grades 3-5 - Test in standing on test leg, knee extended, patient can hold stable object such as a table or bench for balance
• Grades 0-2 - Test in prone position, knee extended.

For testing soleus only:

• Grades 3-5 - Test in standing on test leg, knee slightly FLEXED, patient can hold stable object such as a table or bench for balance
• Grades 0-2 - Test in prone with testing side knee bent to 90 degrees.

Therapist Position

Both gastrocnemius and soleus together and soleus only:

• Grades 3-5 - Therapist to position comfortably with a lateral view of the movement being performed
• Grades 0-2 - Therapist to position at the feet

To Test

• Patient actively everts
• Therapist give resistance towards inversion & slight dorsiflexion

Grading

Grade 5 - > 25 quality repetitions in standing test position

Grade 4 - 10-24 quality repetitions in standing test position

Grade 3 - 1-9 quality repetitions in standing test position

Grade 2 - movement through range, resistance eliminated (prone test position)

Grace 1 - potentially movement through some amount of range however minimal, flicker of muscle contractile activity palpated by therapist

Grade 0 - No movement & no contractile activity palpated