Muscle Length Tests

Pec Major

Starting position: supine, shoulder ER, and abducted

- clavicular head: 90

- sternal head: 140

Testing motion: Allow the humerus to lower toward the ground until resistance is felt

Negative: humerus falls below horizontal

Positive: elbow does not reach the table, above horizontal

Pec Minor

Starting position: supine, shoulders slightly abducted

Testing motion: Assess distance from acromion to table, apply over pressure (if tolerated by the pt) until resistance is felt

Negative: no tissue stretch with overpressure

Positive: tissue stretching with overpressure

Biceps Brachii

Starting position: supine, shoulder extended, forearm pronated

Testing motion: Extend the elbow until resistance is felt, and additional elbow extension causes shoulder flexion

Pos/neg: no normative value

Triceps Brachii

Starting position: supine, full shoulder flexion, forearm supination

Testing motion: flex elbow until resistance is felt, and additional flexion causes shoulder extension

Pos/neg: no normative values

Wrist flexors

Start position: sitting next to a supporting surface, elbow in full extension, MCP, PIP, DIP jts in full extension, forearm pronation, wrist in neutral

Testing motion: Hold the MCP, PIP, DIP jts in full extension while extending the wrist until resistance occurs, and additional wrist extension causes the fingers to flex or elbow to flex

Pos/neg: No normative values (about

10-15 degrees less than

normal wrist extension ROM)

Wrist extensors

Start position: Sitting next to a supporting surface, elbow in full extension, MCP, PIP, DIP jts in full flexion, forearm pronation, wrist in neutral

Testing motion: Hold the MCP, PIP, DIP jts in full flexion while flexing the wrist until resistance occurs, and additional wrist flexion causes the fingers to extend or elbow to flex

Pos/neg: No normative values (about

10-15 degrees less than

normal wrist flexion ROM)

Scalenes

Position: supine

Stabilize: clavicle and first rib

Motion: slightly rotate toward and SB away from side testing

Interpretation: assessed and compared to contra side

suboccipitals

position: supine

motion: passive upper cervical flexion, occiput on c1

interpretation: these muscles are shortened in forward head posture

SCM

position: supine

stabilize: clavicle via shoulder girdle (close to sternum)

motion: SB away and rotate toward side being assessed, keep head close to table

interpretation: compare side to side

upper trap

position: supine with arms by side

stabilize: acromion, distal clavicle

motion: SB away and rotate toward side being assessed

interpretation: compare side to side

levator scapula

position: supine with arms at side

stabilize: superior angle of scapula

motion: flex, rotate, and SB in opposite direction

interpretation: compare side to side

latissimus dorsi

Start Position:​

Hooklying, arms at sides​

​

End Position:​

Shoulders flexed in the sagittal plane​

(monitor for compensations)​

​

Assessment:​

Amount of shoulder flexion​

Thomas Test

Start position: sitting at the edge of the

plinth, pt moves into supine holding one knee

to chest. Maintain neutral spine and pelvis

End position: allow the free leg to lower

toward the table, maintain neutral rotation

Measurement: observe the movement and

position of the thigh as it moves toward the

plinth

Assessment:

(+) test if the thigh is not parallel to the table

(+) test if the knee is flexed less than 80-90˚

(+) test if the thigh abd/adducts or IR/ER