Joint Range of Motion Chart
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Historical reference: its only source is the original reference manual, and some of it may be out of date. Not used for AI answers until re-sourced.
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Reference table of degree-of-motion values for the hip, knee, spine, arm/shoulder, neck, and foot (Kennedy & Legel, 1992).
Detail
The source presents a "Joint Range of Motion" chart (Kennedy & Legel, 1992) of small line drawings, each showing the degree of motion for a given joint action. All values are preserved verbatim below and broken out into joint-specific modules.
Hip and Knees
| Motion | Degrees |
|---|---|
| Knee extension | 90° |
| Hip flexion | 90° |
| Hip flexion with knee flexion | 120° |
| Knee flexion | 120° |
| Hip hyperextension | 10–15° (handwritten: – 25) |
| Hip abduction | 45° |
| Hip adduction | 30° |
Correction (2026-09-27): the knee values above are not normal knee ranges. A healthy adult knee straightens to about 0° and bends to roughly 133–142° (CDC normative data, Soucie et al. 2011); the chart's 90° "knee extension" is best read as the arc of a seated leg extension. See Knee Joint Range of Motion. The table is kept verbatim as a source transcription.
Spine
| Motion | Degrees |
|---|---|
| Spinal lateral bending | 30° |
| Spinal rotation | 40° (handwritten: very limited Lumbar) |
| Spinal flexion / standing | 70° |
| Spinal flexion / lying down | 70° |
| Spinal hyperextension | 70° |
Arms / Shoulder
| Motion | Degrees |
|---|---|
| Arm flexion | 135° |
| Shoulder adduction | 50° |
| Shoulder hyperextension | 45° |
| Shoulder abduction | 90–180° |
Neck
| Motion | Degrees |
|---|---|
| Abduction and Adduction | 40° |
| Hyperextension / Flexion | 50° / 40° |
| Rotation | 55° |
Foot
| Motion | Degrees |
|---|---|
| Plantar flexion of foot | 45° |
| Dorsi flexion of foot | 10–15° |
Key facts
- Source: Kennedy & Legel (1992).
- All degree values preserved verbatim in the tables above.
- The knee values are superseded by CDC normative data (see Knee Joint Range of Motion); other values have not yet been checked against normative data.
Connections
- Hip Joint Range of Motion — hip values in detail.
- Knee Joint Range of Motion — knee values in detail.
- Spine Range of Motion — spine values in detail.
- Shoulder / Arm Range of Motion — arm/shoulder values in detail.
- Neck Range of Motion — neck values in detail.
- Foot / Ankle Range of Motion — foot values in detail.
Sources
Keep this lesson, or ask how it applies to you.
Educational content only — not medical advice. Always consult a qualified professional for individualized guidance, especially around injury, pregnancy, or medical conditions.