Muscle Length and Strength Testing Quiz

Muscle and Nerve Testing

• Muscle length testing assesses for muscle length and flexibility.
• Muscle strength testing determines muscle strength and power.

Dermatome Testing

• Dermatome tests assess sensation in specific areas of the body.
• The primary purpose of the dermatome test is to assess sensation and determine which nerve roots are affected.
• A typical response to a dull sensation when differentiating between sharp and dull sensations using a reflex hammer is a withdrawal or flinching response.

Upper and Lower Extremity Dermatome Testing

• The dermatome test for upper extremity assesses the arms, hands, and fingers.
• The dermatome test for lower extremity assesses the legs, feet, and toes.

Deep Tendon Reflex Testing

• The primary purpose of deep tendon reflex testing is to assess the integrity of the nervous system, particularly the nerve roots and peripheral nervous system.
• A 1+ grading in deep tendon reflex testing indicates a slight but noticeable reflex response.

Myotome Testing

• Myotome tests assess muscle function and strength.
• The myotome responsible for shoulder abduction is C5.
• The myotome associated with thumb extension and ulnar deviation is C8.
• The myotome responsible for elbow extension and wrist flexion is C6 and C7.
• The myotome responsible for ankle dorsiflexion is L4 and L5.
• The myotome associated with great toe extension is L5.
• The myotome responsible for hip extension is L5 and S1.

Specific Dermatome and Myotome Associations

• The C1 dermatome tests assess the area around the occiput and posterior scalp.
• The myotome associated with elbow flexion and forearm pronation is C5 and C6.
• The T1 dermatome tests assess the medial aspect of the arm and forearm.
• The dermatome responsible for sensation in the big toe is L5.
• The dermatome associated with sensation in the groin and medial thigh to knee is L2 and L3.
• The dermatome that covers the perineum, genitals, and lower sacrum is S3 to S5.

Reflexes and Nerve Roots

• The nerve root associated with the Achilles tendon reflex is S1 and S2.
• The nerve root responsible for the biceps stretch reflex is C5 and C6.
• The nerve root linked to the triceps stretch reflex is C7 and C8.