Shoulder Abduction ROM
Page updated: Evidence reviewed: What this means
Active shoulder abduction is the arc of arm elevation in the frontal plane, from the side of the body to fully overhead. It is used clinically to assess glenohumeral joint mobility, rotator cuff function, and subacromial impingement. Norms are based on right-shoulder measurements taken in standing with a Plurimeter V inclinometer, to the nearest degree, in a large Australian community sample (Gill et al., 2020).
How to Perform This Test (Protocol)
- Equipment
-
- Plurimeter V (gravity-referenced) inclinometer
- Standing space
- Protocol Steps
-
- Stand upright with the arm relaxed at the side in the anatomical neutral position (0 degrees).
- Raise the arm sideways in the frontal plane as high as possible without bending the elbow, hiking the shoulder, or side-bending the trunk.
- The assessor places a Plurimeter V gravity-referenced inclinometer on the arm.
- Record the angle at maximum elevation, to the nearest degree.
- Perform on both sides; right-shoulder values are reported on this site.
- Scoring
Record the angle in degrees at maximum active lateral elevation. Higher values indicate greater shoulder abduction range of motion.
- Notes
Norms on this site are based on right-shoulder measurements. Left-shoulder values are typically within 1-3 degrees of right-shoulder values in the Gill 2020 dataset. The source study measured this movement in standing with a gravity-referenced inclinometer, recording one measurement per shoulder to the nearest degree.
Data source: Gill 2020 About this study
Reference population: Australian community-dwelling adults aged 20-84 years (85+ excluded, n=10 per sex)
Shoulder Abduction ROM Norms Chart by Age and Sex (degrees)
| Age | Sex | Percentile | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 95th | ||
| 20-24 | Male | 117.3 | 160.0 | 164.0 | 172.0 | 180.0 |
| Female | 136.5 | 150.0 | 160.0 | 166.0 | 176.3 | |
| 25-29 | Male | 131.7 | 143.0 | 160.0 | 164.0 | 176.5 |
| Female | 132.1 | 150.0 | 158.4 | 169.0 | 180.0 | |
| 30-34 | Male | 131.2 | 152.0 | 160.0 | 166.0 | 180.0 |
| Female | 135.1 | 150.0 | 156.0 | 165.0 | 176.9 | |
| 35-39 | Male | 120.1 | 150.0 | 160.0 | 166.0 | 180.0 |
| Female | 138.6 | 150.0 | 160.0 | 168.0 | 179.0 | |
| 40-44 | Male | 131.4 | 146.0 | 158.0 | 166.0 | 178.4 |
| Female | 129.6 | 148.0 | 158.0 | 164.0 | 180.0 | |
| 45-49 | Male | 131.5 | 148.0 | 156.0 | 164.0 | 177.5 |
| Female | 126.6 | 140.0 | 152.0 | 160.0 | 175.6 | |
| 50-54 | Male | 131.9 | 154.0 | 160.0 | 166.0 | 180.0 |
| Female | 123.6 | 141.0 | 154.0 | 161.0 | 179.2 | |
| 55-59 | Male | 117.7 | 140.0 | 150.0 | 160.0 | 179.5 |
| Female | 127.1 | 140.0 | 150.0 | 160.0 | 172.1 | |
| 60-64 | Male | 116.1 | 139.0 | 148.0 | 159.0 | 175.7 |
| Female | 95.2 | 130.0 | 142.0 | 155.0 | 180.0 | |
| 65-69 | Male | 90.0 | 130.0 | 142.0 | 153.0 | 180.0 |
| Female | 113.5 | 135.0 | 144.0 | 155.0 | 171.7 | |
| 70-74 | Male | 101.5 | 127.0 | 141.3 | 153.0 | 172.9 |
| Female | 81.9 | 120.0 | 141.8 | 152.0 | 180.0 | |
| 75-79 | Male | 106.6 | 128.0 | 140.0 | 150.0 | 166.2 |
| Female | 90.2 | 128.0 | 140.0 | 150.0 | 176.4 | |
| 80-84 | Male | 93.0 | 120.0 | 132.0 | 150.0 | 168.0 |
| Female | 77.3 | 100.0 | 124.5 | 140.0 | 164.5 | |
What to expect by age group
| Age | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| 20-24 | 160.0 to 172.0 | 150.0 to 166.0 |
| 25-29 | 143.0 to 164.0 | 150.0 to 169.0 |
| 30-34 | 152.0 to 166.0 | 150.0 to 165.0 |
| 35-39 | 150.0 to 166.0 | 150.0 to 168.0 |
| 40-44 | 146.0 to 166.0 | 148.0 to 164.0 |
| 45-49 | 148.0 to 164.0 | 140.0 to 160.0 |
| 50-54 | 154.0 to 166.0 | 141.0 to 161.0 |
| 55-59 | 140.0 to 160.0 | 140.0 to 160.0 |
| 60-64 | 139.0 to 159.0 | 130.0 to 155.0 |
| 65-69 | 130.0 to 153.0 | 135.0 to 155.0 |
| 70-74 | 127.0 to 153.0 | 120.0 to 152.0 |
| 75-79 | 128.0 to 150.0 | 128.0 to 150.0 |
| 80-84 | 120.0 to 150.0 | 100.0 to 140.0 |
Detailed Breakdowns
Select an age group and sex below for detailed percentile charts, tables, and ratings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a normal shoulder abduction range of motion?
For adults aged 20-54, the median active shoulder abduction (right shoulder) is 156 to 164 degrees in men and 152 to 160 degrees in women. Values decline with age, reaching 132 degrees in men and 124.5 in women by age 80-84.
How does abduction ROM compare to flexion ROM?
Abduction medians run 4 to 15.5 degrees below flexion medians across the published age brackets, and the gap varies by age and sex rather than holding at a fixed amount.
Why does shoulder abduction decline with age?
Median abduction falls from 164 degrees at 20-24 to 132 at 80-84 in men, and from 160 to 124.5 in women. The female median drops 15.5 degrees in the final step to 80-84, its largest single fall; the male series loses most in one step earlier, 10 degrees into 55-59. Gill et al. report the decline across all three movements they measured but did not investigate its causes.
How is shoulder abduction measured?
In the source study, active shoulder abduction was measured with the participant standing, arm relaxed at the side. The arm is raised sideways in the frontal plane as high as possible without shoulder shrugging or trunk lean, and the angle at maximum elevation is recorded to the nearest degree with a Plurimeter V gravity-referenced inclinometer. One measurement was taken per shoulder. The norms on this site are the right-shoulder values (Gill et al. 2020).
Are there norms for adults over 84?
Gill et al. 2020 measured an 85+ group, but with only 10 people per sex, so this site does not publish norms beyond 80-84, the oldest bracket shown here.