Range of motion
Wrist and Hand ROM
Wrist values are consistent across references; finger joint norms are not. Different editions and sources report finger MCP flexion anywhere from 80 to 90 degrees and PIP flexion from 90 to 100, so state which reference your facility documents against and be consistent. The values below follow the AAOS-attributed table; the variance note travels with them.
Normal values
| Motion | Degrees |
|---|---|
| Flexion | 0-80 |
| Extension | 0-70 |
| Radial deviation | 0-20 |
| Ulnar deviation | 0-30 |
Degrees from neutral. Confirm against the AAOS booklet or Norkin & White before clinical use.
Source: AAOS Joint Motion (1965)
| Joint | Motion | Degrees |
|---|---|---|
| Thumb CMC | Palmar abduction | 0-60 |
| Thumb MCP | Flexion | 0-50 |
| Thumb IP | Flexion | 0-80 |
| Finger MCP (II-V) | Flexion | 0-90 |
| Finger PIP | Flexion | 0-100 |
| Finger DIP | Flexion | 0-90 |
Published finger norms vary by reference (MCP 80-90, PIP 90-100, DIP 65-90 across sources). Verify against the reference your facility documents to, and treat these as the commonly taught values, not a settled standard.
Source: AAOS Joint Motion (1965)
Clinical notes
- Functional wrist position for most ADLs is slight extension; a wrist fused or stiff in flexion loses grip strength mechanically, which is why wrist extension is the range to fight for.
- Composite finger flexion is often best documented functionally as fingertip-to-distal-palmar-crease distance in centimeters alongside joint angles.
- Thumb opposition is commonly recorded on the Kapandji scale (0 to 10, thumb tip to each finger and down the fifth ray) rather than degrees.
- Measure finger joints on the dorsal surface with a short-arm goniometer; volar placement misreads swollen joints.
References
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Joint Motion: Method of Measuring and Recording. Chicago: AAOS; 1965. Values as commonly reproduced in goniometry references (e.g., Norkin & White, Measurement of Joint Motion).