C-5 Motor–Deltoid Muscle

Name of test

Shoulder ABduction

What it tests

Deltoid muscle

How to do it

With the patient seated and elbow flexed, abduct the shoulder to 90. Push down on the elbow as the patient resists with deltoid activity.

The normal response

Grade 5 strength. The examiner is unable to break the deltoid strength.

What it means if not normal

Comments

The deltoid muscle is innervated by the axillary nerve (C5-C6).

A ratchety, giving way motion is a non-organic sign. True weakness is uniform (citation).

Citations

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