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Hand-Held Dynamometry

MET Seminars

Objectives

Upon completion of this course the student will:
• Define the quantities of mass, force, internal and external torque, torque ratios
• Identify 2 reasons for using hand-held dynamometry in addition to manual muscle testing
• Distinguish when to use a break technique vs. a make technique
• Analyze the existing research on validity and reliability of hand-held dynamometry
• Identify how to increase reliability with the technique by standardizing the position of the patient, the provider, and the instrument.
• Justify hand-held dynamometry as a tool for clinical documentation, demonstrating progress, and patient motivation
• Interpret the results of a hand-held dynamometer test assessing strength with movement bias
• Interpret the results of a hand-held dynamometer test assessing strength with muscle/muscle group bias
• Interpret the results of a hand-held dynamometer test assessing the initial resistance for a Clinical Fatigue Test
• Interpret the results of a hand-held dynamometer test assessing strength for each of the following: upper quadrant, lower quadrant and spine

Target Audience

PT, PTA, OT, OTA, AT, MD, DO, DC

Confirmation Notes

Approved for 8 hours of continuing education by FSBPT ProCert and the Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer

Description

Brief Overview:
While research on the validity of hand-held dynamometry is robust, a gap between academic research and practical application remains. In conjunction with the book Hand-Held Dynamometry: Guidelines for Daily Clinical Practice, this course serves as a bridge to provide clinicians with standardized testing postures and positions, instrument placement, and best practices for achieving accurate and reliable objective strength measurements.
We must translate evidence-based rehabilitation into daily clinical practice to ensure that all clients receive adequate, intense, and progressive exercise rehabilitation.
Course Content:

This 1 day lab intensive course presents a step-by-step approach for clinical application of hand-held dynamometry in comprehensive assessment, documentation of objective strength measures, and precision exercise dosing.
Hand-held dynamometry measurements are taught in 3 sections: movement bias, muscle bias, and exercise bias.
Movement bias is a quantification of muscle force produced during cardinal movements and is recommended for use in standard clinical examination, documenting in the medical chart, determining isometric strength ratios, and demonstrating client response to treatment interventions. Movement bias tests are divided into upper quadrant, lower quadrant, and spine. Strength ratios are listed for each agonist/antagonist.
Muscle bias is for diagnostic purposes and can detect subtle weaknesses in the kinetic chain. Muscle bias tests assess a muscle’s ability to generate force in a position of relative isolation from its synergists (not necessarily the position where the muscle can produce the highest force).
Exercise bias is used to determine the precise dose of a therapeutic exercise. The testing position matches the therapeutic exercise that will be performed and the type of muscle contraction dictates the location within the exercise movement arc to take the dynamometric measurement.
Tests in each classification have their own clinical purpose, but the classification can also be considered as a progression in the clinical examination and rehabilitation interventions.

Date And Locations
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