What is MMT in Physical Therapy?

Manual muscle testing (MMT) is an important part of a physical therapy examination and grading strength is a skill that every therapist should know and enhance, or even perfected.

Purpose :

Muscle testing is indicated in any patient with suspected or actual impaired muscle performance, including strength, power, or endurance. Identification of specific impaired muscles or muscle groups provides information for proper treatment.

Precautions :

It is important to determine the patient's ability to withstand the force to be applied. Proper positioning is important, as is instruction in breathing techniques (avoid the Val Salva). Remember to assess surrounding area for ability to sustain muscle test. In the case of a recent fracture, post-surgical, or other tissue healing, consider post-poning muscle test.

Manual Muscle Testing :

MMT is widely used in the physical therapy setting. Patients are asked to hold a position against a therapist's resistance.
i. Stabilize proximal part of the area being tested to reduce compensatory action by muscles other than those being tested.
ii. resistance needs to be applied gradually ("meet my resistance" or "don't let me move you") in the opposite direction of muscle being tested.
iii. Both sides should be tested to provide a comparison.