Which shoulder motion has a normal range of 0-90°?

Which shoulder motion has a normal range of 0-90°?

• A. Shoulder medial rotation
• B. Shoulder flexion
• C. Shoulder abduction
• D. Shoulder extension

Answer: (A)

Understanding normal shoulder range of motion involves recognizing how far each movement can arc. Among common shoulder motions, flexion and abduction form large arcs that can reach up to about 180 degrees, so their normal end range is well beyond 90 degrees. Extension is more limited, typically ending around 60 degrees. Medial (internal) rotation, however, is the movement that often has an end range near 90 degrees in standard clinical assessments—especially when the elbow is bent and the arm is brought toward the abdomen or when the scapula is stabilized. This means the estimated normal ROM for this movement can be about zero to roughly 90 degrees. The exact value can vary with how the shoulder is positioned and measured, but the key idea is that internal rotation is the one that commonly approaches 90 degrees, whereas the others either exceed it or stay well below it.

Understanding normal shoulder range of motion involves recognizing how far each movement can arc. Among common shoulder motions, flexion and abduction form large arcs that can reach up to about 180 degrees, so their normal end range is well beyond 90 degrees. Extension is more limited, typically ending around 60 degrees. Medial (internal) rotation, however, is the movement that often has an end range near 90 degrees in standard clinical assessments—especially when the elbow is bent and the arm is brought toward the abdomen or when the scapula is stabilized. This means the estimated normal ROM for this movement can be about zero to roughly 90 degrees. The exact value can vary with how the shoulder is positioned and measured, but the key idea is that internal rotation is the one that commonly approaches 90 degrees, whereas the others either exceed it or stay well below it.