Updates in ASIA Examination: Upper Extremity Motor Examination

The most common method used in the clinical assesment and classification of spinal cord injury patients is "International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI)" developed by the American Spinal Cord Association (ASIA) and approved by the International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS). In clinical trials, performing a standardized physical examination is useful for comparing data and to build a standard terminology among professionals dealing with the disease. These standards were revised in 2011 and updated in 2013 by ASIA. In this article, motor evaluation of the upper extremities is discussed, according to the 2011 revision and 2013 update.