EXEV

• Goniometry is the measurement of angles created at human joints by the bones of the body, measured using an instrument called a goniometer.
• Goniometry may be used to determine both a particular joint position and the total amount of motion (both active and passive) available at a joint.
• Goniometry provides a basis for determining the presence or absence of impairment, establishing a diagnosis, developing a prognosis, treatment goals, and plan of care, evaluating progress or lack of progress toward rehabilitative goals, modifying treatment, motivating the subject, and researching the effectiveness of therapeutic techniques or regimens.
• Arthrokinematics refers to the movement of joint surfaces, described as slides (or glides), spins, and rolls.
• Osteokinematics refers to the gross movement of the shafts of bones, described as rotary or angular motions.
• Factors affecting ROM include age, gender, AROM/PROM, body mass index (BMI), occupational and recreational activities, testing position, type of instrument employed, experience of the examiner, and time of day.
• Hypermobility is due to the laxity of soft tissue structures such as ligaments, capsules, and muscles that normally prevent excessive motion at a joint; abnormalities of the joint surfaces, trauma to a joint;
• Range of motion (ROM) is the arc of motion that occurs at a joint or a series of joints, with the anatomical position serving as the starting point for all measurements, except rotations in the transverse plane.
• Active range of motion (AROM) is the arc of motion attained by a subject during unassisted voluntary joint motion, providing the examiner with information about the subject’s willingness to move, coordination, muscle strength, and joint ROM.
• Hypermobility is an increase in passive ROM that exceeds normal values for that joint, which may be normal in children.
• Passive range of motion (PROM) provides the examiner with information about the integrity of the joint surfaces and the extensibility of the joint capsule and associated ligaments, muscles, fascia, and skin.
• Noncapsular pattern is caused by a condition involving structures other than the entire joint, typically a result of internal joint derangement, adhesion of a part of a joint capsule, ligament shortening, muscle strains, and muscle contractures.
• Hypomobility is a decrease in passive ROM that is substantially less than normal values for that joint, which may be due to a variety of causes including abnormalities of the joint surfaces; passive shortening of joint capsules, ligaments, muscles, fascia, and skin; and inflammation of these structures.
• End-feel is a characteristic feel experienced by the examiner due to a barrier to further motion at the end of a passive ROM, which helps the examiner identify the type of limiting structure.
• Passive ROM should be tested in goniometry rather than AROM as it does not depend on the subject’s muscle strength and coordination.
• Developing the ability to determine the character of the end-feel requires practice and sensitivity.
• Capsular pattern is a particular pattern of restriction due to pathological conditions involving the entire joint, which results in LOM of all or most of the passive motions of the joint.
• Passive range of motion (PROM) is the arc of motion attained by an examiner without assistance from the subject, with the subject remaining relaxed and playing no active role in producing the motion, and is normally slightly greater than AROM due to the stretch of tissues surrounding the joint and the reduced bulk of relaxed compared to contracting muscles.
• Goniometry derived from 2 Greek words, Gonia — angle and metron — measure