To avoid the appearance of increased motion during goniometric measurement of shoulder abduction, which movement must be prevented?

To avoid the appearance of increased motion during goniometric measurement of shoulder abduction, which movement must be prevented?

• A. Upward rotation of the scapula
• B. Medial rotation of the shoulder
• C. Lateral rotation of the shoulder
• D. Lateral flexion of the trunk to the opposite side

Answer: (D)

When you measure shoulder abduction with a goniometer, you want the movement to come from the shoulder joint itself, not from other parts of the body. If the trunk tilts sideways toward the opposite side, the arm can appear to move farther laterally than the shoulder alone would allow, so the measured angle looks larger than the true glenohumeral abduction. Stabilizing the trunk to prevent this lateral flexion keeps the measurement from being inflated and better reflects the actual shoulder joint movement. (Note: scapular motion can also influence the reading, which is why proper stabilization of the scapula is part of accurate assessment.)

When you measure shoulder abduction with a goniometer, you want the movement to come from the shoulder joint itself, not from other parts of the body. If the trunk tilts sideways toward the opposite side, the arm can appear to move farther laterally than the shoulder alone would allow, so the measured angle looks larger than the true glenohumeral abduction. Stabilizing the trunk to prevent this lateral flexion keeps the measurement from being inflated and better reflects the actual shoulder joint movement. (Note: scapular motion can also influence the reading, which is why proper stabilization of the scapula is part of accurate assessment.)