Limited range of motion

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

The structure of a joint

Overview

Treatment

Limited range of motion

Home Care:

Your health care provider may recommend range of motion exercises, designed to increase muscle strength and flexibility. Continue these exercises at home.

Call your health care provider if:

Visit your health care provider if a joint does not move fully and easily in its normal manner. If a joint develops (new) changes in its ability to move, the affected part should be examined to determine the cause.

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

The health care provider will perform a physical examination and will obtain your medical history.

Medical history questions documenting limited range of motion in detail may include the following:

Time pattern: When did it start?
Quality: How bad is it?
Location
- Where is it exactly?
- Is it only in one location?
Other
- Do you also have pain?
- What other symptoms are present?

Note: Limited range of motion may be discovered by the health care provider during an examination for other conditions, and the affected person may or may not have been aware of its presence.

The muscular system, nervous system, and skeleton may be examined in detail. Depending on the cause, diagnostic tests may be necessary, including the following:

Joint X-rays
Spine X-rays
Tests for the suspected cause

Physical therapy may be recommended.

Review Date: 10/27/2004
Reviewed By: Kevin B. Freedman, M.D., M.S.C.E., Sports Medicine, Orthopaedic Specialists, Bryn Mawr, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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