Abstract
Background: The purpose of this study is to assess the range of shoulder motion using an indirect evaluation method without physical examinations of patients based on questionnaires regarding several specific arm postures referenced by patient's own body parts. Methods: Nine criteria of specific shoulder motion including 4 forward flexion, 2 external rotation, and 3 internal rotation were decided as reference position which can represent a certain shoulder motion. Flexion contains postures such as lifting arm to waist-height, shoulder-height, eye-height, and raising arm above head with arm touching ears. External rotation comprises grasping ears and placing hands on back of the head. Vertebral height in internal rotation is determined by calculating the samples' motions, which are holding on to trouser belts, opposite-elbow, and scapula. These postures are included in questionnaires for patients to evaluate the validity and effectiveness of this indirect method. Results: The range of flexion was $77^{\circ}$ ($60^{\circ}$ to $100^{\circ}$), $96^{\circ}$ ($87^{\circ}$ to $115^{\circ}$), $135^{\circ}$ ($115^{\circ}$ to $150^{\circ}$), and $167^{\circ}$ ($150^{\circ}$ to $175^{\circ}$) when arms go up to waist, shoulder, eye, and high vertically. Range of external rotation was $39.6^{\circ}$ ($30^{\circ}$ to $50^{\circ}$) when grasping ears and $69.2^{\circ}$ ($60^{\circ}$ to $80^{\circ}$) with the hands on the back of the head. Range of internal rotation was L4 when placing trouser belts, T12 for holding opposite elbow, and T9 for reaching scapula. The mismatch rates of flexion, external rotation, and internal rotation were 11.6%, 9.6%, and 7.8%. Conclusions: The range of shoulder motion using this method is expected to be applied to an established shoulder scoring system which included shoulder motion evaluation item.