Ranges of active joint motion for the shoulder,elbow, and wrist in healthy adults

Purpose: The aim of this study was to show highly reliable normal values and three-dimensional characteristics for final range of motion during active movements of the upper extremity joints, and to develop a database from healthy participants, with the advantage of this database lying in the methods of defining shoulder axial rotation angle and of compensating for soft tissue artifacts. Methods: We used an electromagnetic tracking system (FASTRAK) to measure three-dimensional motions of the shoulder (thoracohumeral), elbow/forearm, and wrist in 20 healthy adults (age range: 18–34 years) during active joint motion tasks of the upper extremity. Results: Joint angles of the upper extremity at the final position of joint motion tasks were determined. Highly reliable data for shoulder axial rotation angle were obtained, using a new definition of joint angle and regression analysis to compensate for estimation errors. Conclusions: These results should be useful in setting goals for the treatment of upper extremity joint functions in the fields of rehabilitation, orthopedics, and sports medicine.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• Complex joint motions that occur naturally (unconsciously) about some axes should be taken into account in interventions for range of joint motion (ROM).

• The data obtained through this study simultaneously indicating multiple interrelated angles can be used as reference values for maximum active ROM.

• ROM in the directions of motion involved in the various tasks (for example, elevation angle during shoulder flexion) may have a role to play in evaluating and setting goals for patients with impaired ROM of the arm joints.