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Evaluation Joint Motion- Rating Tip of the Week
Extremity injuries are among the most common cases we review at
Brigham and Associates, Inc. Accurate assessment of joint motion
is essential to a thorough and credible report. Here are a few tips
to help you complete your examination as recommended in the Guides.
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Whenever possible,
active range of motion
measurements should be utilized
for the impairment rating.
Assisted active motion or
passive motion measurements
should be rated only under
certain conditions (ex.
Bunnell’s test for intrinsic
tightness of the hand).
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Always measure the range of
motion for bilateral
extremities and, if
applicable, reference the
uninjured extremity as “normal”
for the examinee and determine
impairment for the injured
extremity based on the
examinee’s “normal” values.
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Impairment values for motion
units of a joint are added
(ex. Wrist flexion and extension
are motion unit).
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Be sure to utilize, and
document in your report the use
of, a goniometer for calculating joint motion as
indicated in the Guides.
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Measurements for each joint
motion should be recorded at
least 3 times, and
measurements should fall within
10% of each other to be
considered consistent. The
Guides also discuss that there
should be consistency in
measurements among different
evaluators. If your examination
findings are inconsistent with
others, you should address this
in your report and provide a
detailed explanation of the
possible reason(s).
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