Manual Muscle Testing: Shoulder Horizontal Adduction

Muscles Involved:[edit | edit source]

Pectoralis Major

Patient Positioning[edit | edit source]

  • Supine with elbow flexed to 90 degrees & shoulder abducted to either 90, 60 or 120 degrees depending on desired fibres to be tested.

Joint start Position[edit | edit source]

GENERAL SCREENING TEST

  • shoulder abduction to 90 degrees

CLAVICULAR HEAD - C5 + C6 nerve root innervation, superior 1/3 of muscle fibres

  • shoulder abduction to 60°

STERNAL HEAD - C7, C8 + T1 nerve root innervation, inferior 2/3 of muscle fibres

  • shoulder abduction to 120°

Therapist Position[edit | edit source]

  • Therapist is standing at test side

To Test[edit | edit source]

  • Patient actively horizontally adducts the shoulder through full available range.
  • The difference between this test as a general screen or specifically for clavicular or sternal head will be direction of movement against resistance

GENERAL SCREENING 

starting at 90 degrees abduction, arm horizontally across chest

CLAVICULAR HEAD starting from 60 degrees abduction, arm will move up and across chest

STERNAL HEAD starting from 120 degrees abduction, arm will move down and across chest

  • For grades 4 to 5 apply resistance to forearm, just proximal to wrist in a direction opposite to horizontal adduction

References[edit | edit source]

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