Is Manual Muscle Testing Really Objective?

Manual muscle testing (MMT) is an assessment used by medical professionals to grade muscle strength and function of various muscles. This assessment can be done without modern day devices that take various measurements to determine muscle strength. Historically, before devices were used, manual muscle tests were given when a practitioner provided resistance against the muscle or muscle groups being tested. based on how the patient performed against the practitioner's resistance, a test grade/score was then given to quantify muscle strength.

This then begs the question: Historically speaking, is manual muscle testing objective? The answer is no.

In the past a practitioner simply provided their resistance for the test. Then based on feel a grade/score was given on muscle strength. The problem with this was a different practitioner may perform the same test, but based on their perception could give a different grade/score for the muscle test. So manual muscle tests, historically, could not be reproduced with the same results because in reality they were subjective.

Handheld Dynamometers or Manual Muscle Testers

What was needed was a device that could objectively measure strength consistently with results that could be reproduced between different practitioners. To do this handheld dynamometers and manual muscle tester were invented. These devices not only produce objective results, but provide numerical data that aids in developing better treatment protocols, to better monitor progress in a patient, and to provide the basis for future meaningful research.