Normal range of motion (ROM) values
Reference chart · Updated July 2026
Normal range of motion is the number of degrees a healthy joint can move through, from its neutral starting position to its end range. The values below follow the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) normative reference standard used throughout clinical practice — for example, roughly 135° of knee flexion, 150° of elbow flexion, and 180° of shoulder flexion and abduction. Use them as a guide: actual ROM varies with age, sex, and body type.
Cervical spine (neck) ROM
| Movement | Normal ROM |
|---|---|
| Flexion | 45° |
| Extension | 45° |
| Lateral flexion (each side) | 45° |
| Rotation (each side) | 60° |
Shoulder ROM
| Movement | Normal ROM |
|---|---|
| Flexion | 180° |
| Extension | 60° |
| Abduction | 180° |
| Adduction | 40° |
| External (lateral) rotation | 90° |
| Internal (medial) rotation | 70° |
Elbow & forearm ROM
| Movement | Normal ROM |
|---|---|
| Elbow flexion | 150° |
| Elbow extension | 0° |
| Forearm pronation | 80° |
| Forearm supination | 80° |
Wrist ROM
| Movement | Normal ROM |
|---|---|
| Flexion | 80° |
| Extension | 70° |
| Radial deviation | 20° |
| Ulnar deviation | 30° |
Hand & finger ROM
Finger and thumb norms are for flexion; full extension returns each joint to a 0° neutral. Total Active Motion (TAM) sums a digit's MCP, PIP, and DIP flexion minus any extension lag.
| Joint | Normal flexion |
|---|---|
| Finger MCP (index–little) | 90° |
| Finger PIP (index–little) | 100° |
| Finger DIP (index–little) | 90° |
| Thumb MCP | 50° |
| Thumb IP | 80° |
Hip ROM
| Movement | Normal ROM |
|---|---|
| Flexion | 120° |
| Extension | 30° |
| Abduction | 45° |
| Adduction | 30° |
| External rotation | 45° |
| Internal rotation | 45° |
Knee ROM
| Movement | Normal ROM |
|---|---|
| Flexion | 135° |
| Extension | 0° |
How to measure knee range of motion — goniometer landmarks, step-by-step technique, and the reliability evidence.
Ankle ROM
| Movement | Normal ROM |
|---|---|
| Dorsiflexion | 20° |
| Plantarflexion | 50° |
| Inversion | 35° |
| Eversion | 15° |
How these values are measured
Each value is the arc from the joint's anatomical neutral (0°) to its end range, measured with a goniometer, an inclinometer, or a smartphone goniometer app. Reliability depends more on technique than on the instrument: standardize the patient's position, align to the same landmark every time, zero at true neutral, and read only a steady end-range value. Smartphone inclinometry has been shown valid and reliable against the universal goniometer in peer-reviewed research.
Measure these on your iPhone. Goniometer guides you through all 47 movements above with animated placement and shows the AAOS normal range beside every reading — free to measure. Download Goniometer on the App Store.
Frequently asked questions
What is a normal range of motion?
Normal range of motion (ROM) is how far a healthy joint moves, measured in degrees from neutral to end range. The AAOS reference standard puts knee flexion near 135°, elbow flexion near 150°, and shoulder flexion and abduction near 180°. Norms are a guide — actual values vary with age, sex, and body type.
What is normal knee range of motion?
About 0° of extension (a fully straight leg) to 135° of flexion, per AAOS.
What is normal shoulder range of motion?
About 180° flexion, 60° extension, 180° abduction, 90° external (lateral) rotation, and 70° internal (medial) rotation, per AAOS.
What is normal cervical (neck) range of motion?
About 45° flexion, 45° extension, 45° lateral flexion to each side, and 60° rotation to each side, per AAOS.
How is joint range of motion measured?
In degrees, with a goniometer or inclinometer aligned to the joint axis — or a smartphone goniometer app that reads the phone's gravity-referenced motion sensor. The joint is moved from neutral to end range and the angle is read off the scale.
References
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Joint Motion: Method of Measuring and Recording. Chicago: AAOS. Normative range-of-motion reference values, as used throughout the Goniometer app.
- Norkin CC, White DJ. Measurement of Joint Motion: A Guide to Goniometry. 5th ed. F.A. Davis.
- Keogh JWL, Cox A, Anderson S, et al. Reliability and validity of clinically accessible smartphone applications to measure joint range of motion: A systematic review. PLOS ONE. 2019;14(5):e0215806. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0215806
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