Neuromuscular Maturity
Ballard Score Training - Performing the Assessment of Neuromuscular Maturity
1. Posture
Total body muscle tone is reflected in the infant's preferred posture at rest and resistance to stretch of individual muscle groups.
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2. Square Window
Wrist flexibility and/or resistance to extensor stretching are responsible for the resulting angle of flexion at the wrist.
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3. Arm Recoil
This maneuver focuses on passive flexor tone of the biceps muscle by measuring the angle of recoil following very brief extension of the upper extremity.
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4. Popliteal Angle
This maneuver assesses maturation of passive flexor tone about the knee joint by testing for resistance to extension of the lower extremity.
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5. Scarf Sign
This maneuver tests the passive tone of the flexors about the shoulder girdle.
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6. Heel to Ear
This maneuver measures passive flexor tone about the pelvic girdle by testing for passive flexion or resistance to extension of posterior hip flexor muscles.
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