What is the normal range for shoulder flexion?

What is the normal range for shoulder flexion?

• A. 0-100°
• B. 0-180°
• C. 0-60°
• D. 0-150°

Answer: (B)

Shoulder flexion is the movement of lifting the arm forward and up from the side to overhead. In a healthy shoulder, the normal range reaches about 180 degrees when you allow both the shoulder joint and the shoulder blade (scapulothoracic) movement to contribute. The ball-and-socket joint itself accounts for roughly 120 degrees, with the scapula rotating upward about 60 degrees to make the full arc up to 180 degrees possible. That’s why 0-180 degrees is the best answer. The other ranges describe only part of the movement: 0-100 or 0-60 are clearly too small to represent full flexion, and 0-150 omits the portion gained from scapular motion. Individual variation can occur, but 0-180 is the standard reference for normal shoulder flexion.

Shoulder flexion is the movement of lifting the arm forward and up from the side to overhead. In a healthy shoulder, the normal range reaches about 180 degrees when you allow both the shoulder joint and the shoulder blade (scapulothoracic) movement to contribute. The ball-and-socket joint itself accounts for roughly 120 degrees, with the scapula rotating upward about 60 degrees to make the full arc up to 180 degrees possible.

That’s why 0-180 degrees is the best answer. The other ranges describe only part of the movement: 0-100 or 0-60 are clearly too small to represent full flexion, and 0-150 omits the portion gained from scapular motion. Individual variation can occur, but 0-180 is the standard reference for normal shoulder flexion.