What is the normal range of motion for shoulder horizontal abduction?

What is the normal range of motion for shoulder horizontal abduction?

• A. 0-60°
• B. 0-90°
• C. 0-15°
• D. 0-30°

Answer: (D)

Horizontal abduction is moving the arm backward in the horizontal plane away from the midline. When you measure it starting from the anatomical position (arm at the side), the range is fairly small because the joint and surrounding structures limit this backward swing in that position. A typical, accepted value is about 0 to 30 degrees. Values much larger would usually come from testing with a different starting position (for example, with the arm flexed or using a different setup), and 15 degrees would be on the low side for this neutral-position measurement. So the normal range from the side is about 0–30°.

Horizontal abduction is moving the arm backward in the horizontal plane away from the midline. When you measure it starting from the anatomical position (arm at the side), the range is fairly small because the joint and surrounding structures limit this backward swing in that position. A typical, accepted value is about 0 to 30 degrees. Values much larger would usually come from testing with a different starting position (for example, with the arm flexed or using a different setup), and 15 degrees would be on the low side for this neutral-position measurement. So the normal range from the side is about 0–30°.