In order to assess the strength of this muscle, the examiner will instruct the patient to extend her leg against a range of forces. When sitting atop the examination table with her legs hanging over the edge, the most basic demonstration of strength would require the patient to extend her legs so they are fully perpendicular to the floor. If this is the patient’s greatest level of strength, their quadriceps would be rated as a 3/5. Based on the results of this test, the examiner will proceed to either apply increasing resistance to leg extension or decrease the physical demands on the leg until a successful result is obtained.
