Final answer:
In resisted testing within the medical field, "weak and painful" indicates reduced muscular strength and the presence of pain during resistance, which may be useful in diagnosing muscle or nerve damage.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of differential diagnosing from resisted testing, the term "weak and painful" refers to the outcome of a specific diagnostic test. When a patient attempts to move or resist movement in the presence of pain and exhibits decreased strength, the muscles involved may be compromised. This can be due to an acute injury or a chronic condition affecting the muscles or the nerves supplying them. The resistance test helps to differentiate between a muscular weakness that originates from a neurological deficit and one that is due to muscle damage or inflammation.
Resisted testing is a valuable component of a physical examination when assessing a patient's musculoskeletal status. For example, if a patient has trouble feeling sensation, as in the provided example where a patient cannot feel the touch of a pen, this might suggest a sensory nerve problem. Additionally, if the patient reports pins and needles or weakness, it may indicate a compromise in the sensory systems or possibly a lesion or pathology involving the neural pathways from the peripheral nervous system to the brain.