Which statement best describes MMT 1/5?

Which statement best describes MMT 1/5?

• A. No contraction detected; complete paralysis.
• B. Trace contraction detectable; contraction palpable but limb does not move.
• C. Full range movement possible with gravity eliminated.
• D. Normal strength.

Answer: (B)

The key idea is how manual muscle testing grades muscle strength. A trace contraction means you can feel the muscle firing when the person tries to contract, but there is no observable joint movement at all. That shows some motor units are being recruited, yet not enough to produce movement against gravity or even with gravity eliminated. This is the lowest level of detectable strength. So the description that fits this exactly is: a palpable contraction with no movement. The other descriptions correspond to different grades: no contraction felt indicates complete paralysis, movement through the range with gravity eliminated indicates the muscle can move but not against gravity (a higher grade), and normal strength means the muscle can move and resist against applied resistance.

The key idea is how manual muscle testing grades muscle strength. A trace contraction means you can feel the muscle firing when the person tries to contract, but there is no observable joint movement at all. That shows some motor units are being recruited, yet not enough to produce movement against gravity or even with gravity eliminated. This is the lowest level of detectable strength.

So the description that fits this exactly is: a palpable contraction with no movement. The other descriptions correspond to different grades: no contraction felt indicates complete paralysis, movement through the range with gravity eliminated indicates the muscle can move but not against gravity (a higher grade), and normal strength means the muscle can move and resist against applied resistance.