Week 3 - Goniometry (AROM & PROM angles)

Question 1

Procedure to measuring ROM

Answer 1

• Communicate to the patient what you will be doing and why
• Position the patient appropriately
• Get the patient to perform the AROM movement so they know what they’re doing. Explain PROM
• Start with unaffected side
• Repeat each measurement twice if within 5 degrees
• Record findings

Question 2

What does end-feel of a joint mean?

Answer 2

What the joint feels like at the end of the PROM

• Soft - soft tissue, usually muscle
• Firm - gradual end-feel, could be muscle tightness
• Hard - a hard stop to the end-feel i.e. elbow extension has a hard locking feel
• Empty - could not go any further due to pain

Question 3

Where is 0 degrees of PF and DF?

Answer 3

When our foot/leg is at 90 degrees

Question 4

Patient A has 120 degrees flexion AROM, 130 degrees flexion PROM with soft end feel on their left knee. Right knee is 80 degrees flexion and 85 degrees flexion respectively with a firm end feel. Is AROM or PROM the problem here and why?

Answer 4

PROM is the problem. The end feel is firm at a much lower PROM, meaning there is something preventing the leg from going any further. There could be a lot of things preventing this, i.e. swelling around the joint, structural change, mal-alignment when bone was healing, shortening of muscles (although this would be more of a gradual firm feel).