Which joint has a normative ROM endpoint of 0-90 degrees for external rotation?

• A. Cervical Rotation
• B. Wrist Extension
• C. Elbow Flexion
• D. Shoulder External Rotation

Answer: (D)

External rotation at the shoulder has a typical end range of about 0 to 90 degrees when tested with the elbow flexed to 90 degrees and kept by the side. The shoulder joint is a ball-and-socket joint with a wide, functional range of rotation, and this end point reflects the normal limit of glenohumeral motion in that standard testing position. The other joints tested—cervical rotation, wrist extension, and elbow flexion—have different normal end ranges (for example, elbow flexion reaches up to roughly 150 degrees, wrist extension around 70 degrees, and cervical rotation usually less than 90 degrees in a single direction). Therefore, the 0–90 degree endpoint is characteristic of shoulder external rotation.