Abstract: The disclosure provides systems and methods of use pertaining to precise measurements of middle ear mechanics to aid physicians in the determination of pre-operative, intraoperative, and post-repair stiffness of the ossicular chain to assist in the diagnosis and treatment and/or repair of all types of conductive hearing loss. One embodiment provides a handheld diagnostic tool having a load cell operably coupled between a linear actuator and a rigid probe configured to rest against the ossicular chain. When the actuator displaces the load cell and the rigid probe a predetermined distance in an oscillating manner, the load cell measures a force required to displace the ossicular chain a corresponding distance. Force and displacement data is sent to a processing element, which calculates a stiffness of the ossicular chain and reports information regarding the stiffness to a display. Other embodiments are also disclosed.