Clinical Assessment of the Hand - A Review of Joint Angle Measures

Abstract

Measurement of range of motion (ROM) at a joint is regarded by many clinicians as objective and is therefore frequently used as an assessment tool. There are many methods of measurements available to the clinician and the researcher, but information about their reliability may be less accessible. Some techniques of measurement, such as goniometry, have been studied frequently, whereas other popular techniques have little or no published evidence to support their use. The aim of this paper is to summarise the results from the literature surrounding methods of measurement, particularly those concerned with hand assessment.