Motor responses have six categories ranging from obeying commands to no motor response. View each of the video clips below to see examples of how you would establish a motor response score.
Motor Response - Obeys commands
You must get the patient to follow a simple command such as stick your tongue out or lift up your right arm. This would score 6. Asking the patient to squeeze your hands should be avoided as this might elicit a reflex squeezing rather than the obeying of a command.
Motor Response - Localise to pain
To be classed as localising to pain the arm must raise above the nipple height towards the painful stimuli. This would score 5.
Motor Response - Normal flexion
The patients arm responds to the painful stimuli but in a less purposeful way and does not go above the nipple height so is to be classed as flexion. This would score 4.
Motor Response - Abnormal flexion
This is a difficult differentiation to make - if it does not look like normal flexion it is abnormal. The abnormal can include the movement of both arms abnormally. This is very rarely seen. This would score 3.
Motor Response - Extension
The patient's elbows are locked straight. Their wrists are flexed and their shoulders are internally rotated. This movement is indicative of a very serious neurological disorder. This would score 2.
Motor Response - None
The patient makes no movement; there is no motor response at all. This would score 1. The lack of movement can be indicative of extremely serious neurological disorder or death.
