BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuLimited range of motion Limited range of motion is a term meaning that a joint or body part cannot move through its normal range of motion. Considerations Motion may be limited because of a problem within the joint, swelling of tissue around the joint, stiffness of the ligaments and muscles, or pain.SwellingSwelling is the enlargement of organs, skin, or other body parts. It is caused by a buildup of fluid in the tissues. The extra fluid can lead to a ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Causes A sudden loss of range of motion may be due to:Dislocation of a joint DislocationA dislocation is a separation of two ends of the bones where they meet at a joint. A joint is the place where two bones connect, which allows moveme...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Fracture of an elbow or other joint FractureIf more pressure is put on a bone than it can stand, it will split or break. A break of any size is called a fracture. If the broken bone punctures...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Infected joint (hip is most common in children) Infected jointSeptic arthritis is inflammation of a joint due to a bacterial or fungal infection. Septic arthritis that is due to the bacteria that cause gonorrhe...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (in boys 4 to 10 years old) Legg-Calvé-Perthes diseaseLegg-Calve-Perthes disease occurs when the ball of the thigh bone in the hip does not get enough blood, causing the bone to die.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Nursemaid elbow, an injury to the elbow joint in young children Nursemaid elbowNursemaid's elbow is a dislocation of a bone in the elbow called the radius. Dislocation means the bone slips out of its normal position. The injury...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Tearing of certain structures within the joint, such as the meniscus or cartilage Lose bodies which have become stuck in the jointLoss of motion may occur if you damage the bones within a joint. This may happen if you have:Broken a joint bone in the past Frozen shoulder Frozen shoulderFrozen shoulder is a condition in which the shoulder is painful and loses motion because of inflammation.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Osteoarthritis OsteoarthritisOsteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disorder. It is due to aging and wear and tear on a joint.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritisRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a disease that leads to inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues. It is a long-term disease. It can also aff...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Ankylosing spondylitis (chronic form of arthritis)Ankylosing spondylitisAnkylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic form of arthritis. It mostly affects the bones and joints at the base of the spine where it connects with t...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Brain, nerve, or muscle disorders can damage the nerves, tendons, and muscles, and can cause loss of motion. Some of these disorders include:Cerebral palsy (group of disorders that involve brain and nervous system functions) Cerebral palsyCerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders that involve the brain. This affects nervous system functions, such as movement, learning, hearing, seei...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Congenital torticollis (wry neck) TorticollisTorticollis is a condition in which the neck muscles cause the head to tilt, turn or rotate to the side.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Muscular dystrophy (group of inherited disorders that cause muscle weakness) Muscular dystrophyMuscular dystrophy is a group of inherited disorders that cause muscle weakness and loss of muscle tissue, which get worse over time.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Stroke or brain injury Volkmann contracture (deformity of the hand, fingers, and wrist caused by injury to the muscles of the forearm) Volkmann contractureVolkmann contracture is a deformity of the hand, fingers, and wrist caused by injury to the muscles of the forearm. The condition is also called Vol...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Home Care Your health care provider may suggest exercises to increase muscle strength and flexibility. When to Contact a Medical Professional Make an appointment with your provider if you have difficulty moving or extending a joint. What to Expect at Your Office Visit The provider will examine you and ask about your medical history and symptoms. You may need joint x-rays and spine x-rays. Laboratory tests may be done. Joint x-raysThis test is an x-ray of a knee, shoulder, hip, wrist, ankle, or other joint.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Spine x-raysA thoracic spine x-ray is an x-ray of the 12 chest (thoracic) bones (vertebrae) of the spine. The vertebrae are separated by flat pads of cartilage ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Physical therapy may be recommended.Open ReferencesReferencesDebski RE, Patel NK, Shearn JT. Basic concepts in biomechanics. In: Miller MD, Thompson SR, eds. DeLee, Drez, & Miller's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 2.Magee DJ, Manske RC. Primary care assessment. Magee DJ, Manske RC, eds. Orthopedic Physical Assessment. 7th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2021:chap 17. AllVideoImagesTogThe structure of a joint - illustration Joints, particularly hinge joints like the elbow and the knee, are complex structures made up of bone, muscles, synovium, cartilage, and ligaments that are designed to bear weight and move the body through space. The knee consists of the femur (thigh bone) above, and the tibia (shin bone) and fibula below. The kneecap (patella) glides through a shallow groove on the front part of the lower thigh bone. Ligaments and tendons connect the three bones of the knee, which are contained in the joint capsule (synovium) and are cushioned by cartilage. The structure of a jointillustrationLimited range of motion - illustration When a joint does not move fully and easily in its normal manner it is considered to have a limited range of motion. Motion may be limited by a mechanical problem within the joint, swelling of tissue around the joint, spasticity of the muscles, pain or disease.Limited range of motionillustrationThe structure of a joint - illustration Joints, particularly hinge joints like the elbow and the knee, are complex structures made up of bone, muscles, synovium, cartilage, and ligaments that are designed to bear weight and move the body through space. The knee consists of the femur (thigh bone) above, and the tibia (shin bone) and fibula below. The kneecap (patella) glides through a shallow groove on the front part of the lower thigh bone. Ligaments and tendons connect the three bones of the knee, which are contained in the joint capsule (synovium) and are cushioned by cartilage. The structure of a jointillustrationLimited range of motion - illustration When a joint does not move fully and easily in its normal manner it is considered to have a limited range of motion. Motion may be limited by a mechanical problem within the joint, swelling of tissue around the joint, spasticity of the muscles, pain or disease.Limited range of motionillustrationRelated Information Swelling(Symptoms)Spasticity(Symptoms)Contracture deformity(Symptoms) Review Date: 9/20/2022 Reviewed By: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Limited range of motion Limited range of motion is a term meaning that a joint or body part cannot move through its normal range of motion. Considerations Motion may be limited because of a problem within the joint, swelling of tissue around the joint, stiffness of the ligaments and muscles, or pain.SwellingSwelling is the enlargement of organs, skin, or other body parts. It is caused by a buildup of fluid in the tissues. The extra fluid can lead to a ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Causes A sudden loss of range of motion may be due to:Dislocation of a joint DislocationA dislocation is a separation of two ends of the bones where they meet at a joint. A joint is the place where two bones connect, which allows moveme...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Fracture of an elbow or other joint FractureIf more pressure is put on a bone than it can stand, it will split or break. A break of any size is called a fracture. If the broken bone punctures...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Infected joint (hip is most common in children) Infected jointSeptic arthritis is inflammation of a joint due to a bacterial or fungal infection. Septic arthritis that is due to the bacteria that cause gonorrhe...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (in boys 4 to 10 years old) Legg-Calvé-Perthes diseaseLegg-Calve-Perthes disease occurs when the ball of the thigh bone in the hip does not get enough blood, causing the bone to die.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Nursemaid elbow, an injury to the elbow joint in young children Nursemaid elbowNursemaid's elbow is a dislocation of a bone in the elbow called the radius. Dislocation means the bone slips out of its normal position. The injury...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Tearing of certain structures within the joint, such as the meniscus or cartilage Lose bodies which have become stuck in the jointLoss of motion may occur if you damage the bones within a joint. This may happen if you have:Broken a joint bone in the past Frozen shoulder Frozen shoulderFrozen shoulder is a condition in which the shoulder is painful and loses motion because of inflammation.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Osteoarthritis OsteoarthritisOsteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disorder. It is due to aging and wear and tear on a joint.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritisRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a disease that leads to inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues. It is a long-term disease. It can also aff...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Ankylosing spondylitis (chronic form of arthritis)Ankylosing spondylitisAnkylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic form of arthritis. It mostly affects the bones and joints at the base of the spine where it connects with t...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Brain, nerve, or muscle disorders can damage the nerves, tendons, and muscles, and can cause loss of motion. Some of these disorders include:Cerebral palsy (group of disorders that involve brain and nervous system functions) Cerebral palsyCerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders that involve the brain. This affects nervous system functions, such as movement, learning, hearing, seei...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Congenital torticollis (wry neck) TorticollisTorticollis is a condition in which the neck muscles cause the head to tilt, turn or rotate to the side.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Muscular dystrophy (group of inherited disorders that cause muscle weakness) Muscular dystrophyMuscular dystrophy is a group of inherited disorders that cause muscle weakness and loss of muscle tissue, which get worse over time.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Stroke or brain injury Volkmann contracture (deformity of the hand, fingers, and wrist caused by injury to the muscles of the forearm) Volkmann contractureVolkmann contracture is a deformity of the hand, fingers, and wrist caused by injury to the muscles of the forearm. The condition is also called Vol...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Home Care Your health care provider may suggest exercises to increase muscle strength and flexibility. When to Contact a Medical Professional Make an appointment with your provider if you have difficulty moving or extending a joint. What to Expect at Your Office Visit The provider will examine you and ask about your medical history and symptoms. You may need joint x-rays and spine x-rays. Laboratory tests may be done. Joint x-raysThis test is an x-ray of a knee, shoulder, hip, wrist, ankle, or other joint.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Spine x-raysA thoracic spine x-ray is an x-ray of the 12 chest (thoracic) bones (vertebrae) of the spine. The vertebrae are separated by flat pads of cartilage ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Physical therapy may be recommended.Open ReferencesReferencesDebski RE, Patel NK, Shearn JT. Basic concepts in biomechanics. In: Miller MD, Thompson SR, eds. DeLee, Drez, & Miller's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 2.Magee DJ, Manske RC. Primary care assessment. Magee DJ, Manske RC, eds. Orthopedic Physical Assessment. 7th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2021:chap 17.