Joint mobility of the lower extremities
Hip joint: The range of motion of the nut joint is: 5-10° – 0° – 130° ExtensionBending 45° – 0° – 30° SpreadingLeaning towards 50° – 0° – 40° Outward rotationInward rotation Knee joint: This is a condylar joint.It has the following degrees of freedom in its two main axes: 5-10° – 0° – 130° extension and flexion 30-40° – 0° – 10° outward rotation and inward rotation with the knee bent. Upper ankle joint: It is a purely hinged joint formed by the lower leg bones and the talus. Its freedom of movement is approximately enclosed: 20° – 0° – 40° lifting and lowering of the foot Lower ankle joint: There is a front and rear lower ankle joint.
Together, however, they have only one main axis with the following mobility: 15-10° – 0° – 20-30° lifting or lowering the outer edge of the foot. Lifting the outer edge of the foot is called eversion. The lowering is called inversion.
Metatarsophalangeal joint: It lies between the head of the metatarsal and the first limb of the toe bone. The joint is actually a ball and socket joint. It is restricted in its freedom of movement by important ligaments and muscles.
Only the following movement is possible: 70° – 0° – 45° stretching and bending of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the big toe.
- 5-10° – 0° – 130° Stretch bending
- 45° – 0° – 30° SpreadingPut down
- 50° – 0° – 40° Outward turningInward turning
- 5-10° – 0° – 130° extension and flexion
- 30-40° – 0° – 10° Outward rotation and inward rotation with bent knee.
- 20° – 0° – 40° Lifting and lowering of the foot
- 15-10° – 0° – 20-30° Raise or lower outer edge of foot. Raising the outer edge of the foot is called eversion. Lowering it is called inversion.
- 70° – 0° – 45° stretching and bending of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the big toe.
Deviations of the angular degrees
The above-mentioned degrees of freedom of movement of the most important joints in the body are standard values, a minimal deviation can always be possible and is no further cause for concern. If there is a clear deviation from the standard values, something may be wrong with the joint. Restricted movements are then also reproduced differently.
If the neutral-zero position is no longer reached due to an illness, the value “0°” shifts from the middle to the side where the deficit exists. An example of impaired freedom of movement in a joint would be 0°-20°-20° (extension/flexure). It would be a stiffening of the joint.
The joint would therefore have its neutral-zero position at 20° and cannot be moved. It therefore has a range of motion of 0° with an extension deficit of 20°. Another example often occurs in the case of an elbow fracture.
After the fracture, the elbow can be flexed to a maximum of 100°, the extension remains at 30°. The extension deficit is therefore 30°. In the neutral-zero method, this is then as follows: 0°-30°-100° extension/flexure. With this uniform method, every doctor can understand the movement deficit without even having seen the person concerned.
