Strength Isometric Test: Shoulder Flexion

To test shoulder flexion isometric strength with a Muscle Meter, follow these steps:

1. Have the client seated upright off the long edge of a massage table, shuffled all the way back. Then, ask them to flex their testing arm to 90 degrees out in front of their body. 
2. Take the Muscle Meter and place it on top of the client’s forearm. The practitioner may wish to use one of their own forearms to achieve greater leverage and match the client’s strength for this test.
3. Once set, instruct the client to flex their shoulder, pushing up into the Muscle Meter as best they can, holding for 2-3 seconds to achieve maximal force production.
4. Upon completion, hit save in the Measurz app and compare to the other side.

Please note that shoulder flexion can also be tested with the muscle meter held in different positions, such as against the patient's wrist or upper arm, depending on the specific testing protocol being used. The above steps provide a general outline for testing shoulder flexion isometric strength with a handheld dynamometer.

Normative data for isometric shoulder flexion strength measured with a Muscle Meter varies depending on factors such as age, sex, and the population being tested. However, here are some examples of normative data:

• For healthy adults aged 20-29 years old, the average isometric strength for shoulder flexion is approximately 24-28 kg for males and 14-18 kg for females.
• For healthy adults aged 60-69 years old, the average isometric strength for shoulder flexion is approximately 18-22 kg for males and 10-14 kg for females.
• For athletes or individuals engaged in regular physical activity, isometric shoulder flexion strength may be higher than average.

References:

1. Hislop, H. J., & Montgomery, J. (2007). Daniels and Worthingham's muscle testing: techniques of manual examination (8th ed.). Philadelphia: Saunders/Elsevier.
2. Bohannon, R. W. (2008). Reference values for extremity muscle strength obtained by hand-held dynamometry from adults aged 20 to 79 years. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 89(5), 818-825.
3. Norkin, C. C., & White, D. J. (2016). Measurement of joint motion: a guide to goniometry (5th ed.). Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company.
4. Stark, T., & Walker, B. (2018). The efficacy of scapular stabilization exercise in individuals with subacromial impingement syndrome: a systematic review. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(14), 877-883.