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Springer Handbook of Medical Technology pp 273–287Cite as

Functional Force Assessment of Skeletal Muscles

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Abstract

Measurements of muscle function and strength are essential components of many clinical neurological or physical exams, and they are important for monitoring physiological function in various animal research studies. Evaluation of muscle strength is necessary for differential diagnosis, to determine the presence of disability, to plan potential treatments, and/or to track the effectiveness of treatments. As outcomes-based medical practice becomes more prevalent, the need for quantitative outcomes assessment of muscle strength becomes even more critical. Several assessment techniques and tools are currently available, but most require a cognitively cooperative subject. Manual muscle testing is the most widely used method to assess muscle function, however its reliability and accuracy are variable. When greater accuracy is needed, instruments that provide precise readouts of resistive forces can be employed, for example, hand dynamometers, pinch grips, and computer-controlled dynamometers. Stimulated muscle force assessment is an alternative and versatile approach for quantitative involuntary muscle torque.

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Authors
  1. Paul A. Iaizzo
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  2. William K. Durfee
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Titisee, Germany

    Rüdiger Kramme

  2. Medical Engineering and Neuroprosthetics, Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering, St. Ingbert, Germany

    Klaus-Peter Hoffmann

  3. Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA

    Robert S. Pozos

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© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Iaizzo, P.A., Durfee, W.K. (2011). Functional Force Assessment of Skeletal Muscles. In: Kramme, R., Hoffmann, KP., Pozos, R.S. (eds) Springer Handbook of Medical Technology. Springer Handbooks. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-74658-4_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-74658-4_14

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-74657-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-74658-4

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