Manual Muscle Testing (MMT): Upper Body Course

Manual Muscle Testing (MMT): Upper Body Course is organized by Brookbush Institute.

Course Description:
Why Assessment?
All fitness, performance, and rehabilitation programs should start with an assessment. The goal of assessment is to refine technique selection, with the intent of improving client and patient outcomes. This course describes potential additions to a comprehensive movement assessment that are most commonly referred to as "manual muscle testing" (a.k.a. MMT, MMTs, muscle testing, strength testing, muscle strength testing, strength assessment, strength measures, manual resistance, etc.). The tests included in this course are intended for muscles prone to inhibition (e.g. underactive, hypotonic, phasic, exhibiting muscle weakness, etc.).

When to Use Manual Muscle Tests:
It is important that the intent of manual muscle tests, the length of a muscle group, the activity of a muscle group, and the testing position are considered prior to the their application. Any muscle that has adopted a compensatory change in length or activity (altered length/tension relationship) may test "weak", "with compensation", or "with pain". For example, if an individual presents with Arms Fall during an Overhead Squat Assessment, and goniometry confirms a loss of shoulder flexion extensibility, it is likely that manual resistance of shoulder extension (from 180 degrees of shoulder flexion) would result in a finding of "weakness" or "with compensation". If the intention of manual

Behavioral Objectives
• Given a patient scenario, integrate at least 2 of the techniques covered in class to a plan of care
• List at least 4 commonly under-active upper body muscles
• Demonstrate at least 4 of the manual muscle tests discussed in this course