Optimal Joint Positions for Manual Isometric Muscle Testing.
Stefan C Garcia, Jeffrey J Dueweke, Christopher L Mendias
PMID 27632883WHAT IT FOUND
Computer models of major muscle groups around shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee and ankle predicted maximum isometric force at positions that differ from commonly recommended neutral right angle or midpoint for manual muscle testing, but the predictions were not tested in people.
Key findings
01The commonly recommended manual isometric muscle testing positions, a neutral right angle or midpoint of the active range, have little objective data to support them.
02The study used anatomical models to identify the joint position in which maximum isometric force is predicted to be greatest for major muscle groups.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
The predicted positions were not directly validated by measuring isometric forces in people. The models were based on a 50th percentile male of 170 cm, so they may not fit people who are much shorter, much taller, or who have very different muscle size or shape. The paper reports the specific predicted positions in tables, but those tables are not included in the text supplied here, so the exact positions cannot be checked or applied. The study reports model predictions, not clinical outcomes in patients.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat the predicted joint positions as tested clinical recommendations. The authors did not validate them by measuring forces in people, and they say a follow-up study is needed to test them.