Muscle strength grading
1. Grade 0: Total Paralysis
2. Grade 1: Palpable or visible contraction
3. Grade 2: Full range of motion with gravity eliminated
4. Grade 3: Full range of motion against gravity
5. Grade 4: Full range of motion with decreased strength
6. Grade 5: Normal Strength
7. NT: Not testable
Common Motor deficits
1. Ulnar Nerve: Claw Hand
2. Radial Nerve: Wrist drop
3. Median Nerve: Cannot make 'OK' Sign
4. Peroneal Nerve: Foot drop
Higher Cervical Cord
1. C2: Breathing
2. C3-4: Spontaneous breathing, Trapezius function
3. C4-6: Shoulder Flexion, Extension
Upper Extremity Strength
1. C5: Deltoid Abduction at Shoulder
2. C6: Biceps Flexion at Forearm
3. C6: Wrist Extension (extensor carpi radialis)
4. C7: Wrist Flexion
5. C7: Elbow Extension (Triceps)
6. C7: Finger Extension
7. C8: Fingers Flexion middle finger (flex dig profundus)
8. T1: Small finger abductors (abductor digiti minimi)
9. T1: Interossei - Spread Fingers
Lower Extremity Strength
1. L2: Hip flexors (Iliopsoas)
2. L3: Knee Extension (Quadriceps)
3. L4: Ankle dorsiflexion (tibialis anterior)
4. L4: Anterior Tibial - Foot Inversion
5. L5: Long toe extension (Extensor hallucis longus)
6. L5: Foot dorsiflexion (Extensor digitorum longus)
7. L5: Weak heel walking, foot drop
8. S1: Ankle plantar flexors (Gastrocnemius, Soleus)
9. S1: Weak toe walking

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This page was written by Scott Moses, MD. This page was last revised before 5/10/08, prior to consistent tracking of revision date. This page was last published on 5/10/2008. Please send comments and questions to the editor. Contact information may be found on the page About the Family Practice Notebook. These pages are best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0.