Shoulder rotations – Active assessment
Testing for:
– external rotation (ER): posterior upper expansion
–internal rotation (IR): anterior upper expansion
Goal:
ER: 90 degrees
IR: 90 degrees
Results:
ER – 0-90 degrees: lacking posterior upper expansion
IR – 0-90 degrees: limited access to anterior upper expansion
90+ degrees: access to posterior (ER) or anteior (IR) expansion
How to take the test:
1) Lay down on your back with both legs flexed or extended on a hard and flat surface and have your arms resting next to you
2) Bring an arm out to the side in line with the shoulders
3) Flex the elbow on the tested side to 90 degrees and keep it flexed for the duration of the test
4) Slowly let the forearm move in a straight line
– external rotation: forearm moves backwards
– internal rotation: forearm moves forward
5) Move until the movement feels light, easy and smooth
6) Stop when any of the following applies:
– back of shoulder lifts up
– back lifts up or rolls
– experiencing discomfort
– elbow moves up or down
7) Measure the angle between the starting and end positions
