This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Sign in
Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Power grading

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Muscle strength is assessed by gauging the examiner's ability to overcome the patient's full voluntary muscle resistance. Normal power is dependent on the patient's age, sex and build. The power grading scheme is:

  • 0 - complete paralysis
  • 1 - flicker of contraction possible
  • 2 - movement is possible when gravity is excluded
  • 3 - movement is possible against gravity
  • 4 - movement is possible against gravity + some resistance
  • 5 - normal power

If any weakness is detected then the examiner must note the pattern. For example, in an upper motor neurone lesion there may be weakness in the upper limb of shoulder abduction, elbow extension and wrist extension; and a weakness in the lower limb of hip flexion, dorsiflexion and foot eversion.

Create an account to add page annotations

Create a free account

Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.