Strength evaluation in neuromuscular disease

Abstract

Strength evaluation in neuromuscle disease is necessary to track the natural history of the disease, to understand its pathophysiology, to determine the efficacy of treatment, and, most importantly, to evaluate an experimental treatment regimen. This article describes the physiology of muscle activity, discusses fatigue, examines various testing methods, and suggests appropriate measurements to assess the neuromuscular patient's strength and endurance in a variety of clinical settings. The minimal amount of equipment necessary to follow patients with NMD is a stop watch, a goniometer, a hand-held dynamometer, a hand-grasp dynamometer, and a creative mind.