Further Standardization of Manual Muscle Test for Clinical Study: Applied in Chronic Renal Disease

Techniques are presented for further standardization of the manual muscle test, with emphasis on its use in testing patients who have chronic renal disease. Using a standard muscle testing manual as a guide, methods of stabilization and of positioning were further standardized in an effort to decrease the variables and to meet the needs of this particular study. A criterion for the grade of “normal” was established for each muscle, or muscle group, to be tested. Following completion of the standardization of techniques, an inter-rater reliability test showed 97 percent reliability within one-half grade.