Muscle strength is scored on a scale of 0 to 5.
0 – No contraction; the patient is unable to even contract the muscle. This is scored as a zero.
1 – No movement but slight visible/palpable muscle contraction is present; contraction without movement is scored as grade 1 strength.
2 – Movement without gravity– i.e. movement with gravity eliminated. Movement with the effect of gravity neutralized is grade 2 strength.
3 – Movement with gravity alone; movement against gravity only is grade 3 strength.
4 – Movement against gravity with some resistance; movement against gravity plus some additional resistance is scored as grade 4 strength.
5 – Movement against gravity with full resistance; Normal strength is shown by movement against substantial resistance is scored as grade 5.
