I can't say for certain without a physical exam and follow-up questions, but gout is typically aggravated by diet, especially eating pork. Pay close attention to when you have increased inflammation. Depending on your age and past medical history, you could also have osteoarthritis of that big toe's first joint. Do what you can to limit the range of motion until the inflammation subsides. Best of luck.

@aarontomlinson Thanks for the insight. Arthritis does tend to run in my family. My twin sister has arthritis in her fingers, and my mom in her hip. I've been soaking my feet at least one or twice a week in warm water with Epsom salt, and I wrap a bandage around the affected joint on the big toe. I can bend it part way down but not all the way yet. I've wondered, too, if it could be turf toe possibly? I try not to wear does too much( maybe one or twice a week, and will be trying a big toe brace for when I sleep, and hopefully, that'll help, too. I've heard recovery time from anything joint related can take several months. Agree wise, I turn 50 next February. I know I need to start cooking my own meals at home, too.

Again, I can't say with certainty nor can I give medical advice through this medium, but turf toe is typically develops after a major explosive event, like pushing off forcefully from a harder surface during a sport activity (football, soccer, etc). Wearing shoes can help support the joint and might be better for you. Pain is your enemy and anything that makes it feel better for conventional treatment is your friend.

@aarontomlinson Good point- so a few months ago, I hit that part of my foot on one of my bed posts but didn't think anything of it. Also, I got new boots fur Christmas and they'd been rubbing a lot with my left foot, and I wondered why I was having a hard time walking, but now I know why. I've been wearing the wrong size of shoe all these years and didn't realize it. So that's been another reason. Lately, I've been wearing flip flops to work, and that does seem to help a bit. The inflammation is still present, but I'm not in any major pain, thank goodness. A bandage over the area does restrict movement, but u can generally walk okay. So I don't think anything was broken,just blistered and bruised. I've been wondering if I should completely cut out diet drinks and see if that helps. I do drink as much water as possible during the day too abs try to get as much sleep as i can. Again,though, thank you for your insight on this. I've been doing all this without medication or injections. A nurse friend recommended Celebrex, but there's a long list of side effects that come with it. So that's basically what's going on in my particular case.

Ifractured myringfinger

Happy to help!

That must be painful! I wish you the best and a speedy recovery!

Glad to be of service!

Yes, thank you. this is for educational purposes.

Manual Muscle Test (MMT)

Protraction (scapular abduction and upward rotation) performed by the serratus must happen with shoulder flexion. The serratus is so important (along with the rhomboids and traps) to maintain good scapular stability and mobility to allow for good glenohumeral motion.

The deep cervical flexors are a muscle group consisting of the longus capitus and longus colli muscles.

Sternocleidomastoid is the prime mover

I am unsure what you are asking.

That is correct. Furthermore, neck MMT should also precede trunk MMT. You should also check to see full ROM prior to completing the examination. Thank you for watching.

I'm not really sure what you are asking. Just because someone is weak, doesn't mean they can't horizontally abduct. If the person has no C5 or C 6 innervation, then they would not be able to fully horizontally abduct the shoulder. I'd love to help you out, please clarify your question. Thanks!

The new textbook from Daniel's and Worthingham from authors Dale Avers and Marybeth Brown state that combined cervical and capital extension is no longer assessed. The only MMT for the neck are now cervical flexion, cervical extension, capital flexion, capital extension, cervical rotation, and SCM isolation. Hope this helps.

You need to see the patient's face while testing to observe any discomfort. The new edition from 2019 now has the primary method of testing in sitting.