Radiohumeral Mobilization
Posted on 20. Apr, 2010 by Don in Elbow Mobilizations
Loading ...Purpose
A mobilization technique used to improve elbow flexion and extension.
Technique
Patient is positioned in sitting with the forearm to be mobilized on the table.
Clinician places the elbow in 70° of flexion and the forearm in 35° of supination.
Clinician’s proximal/cranial hand is on the humerus with his thumb positioned on the radiohumeral joint space.
Clinician stabilizes the humerus with his cranial hand.
Clinician’s distal/caudal hand is the mobilization hand and his thumb is positioned on the radial head.
Clinician performs a ventral/anterior glide of the radius to increase elbow flexion and a dorsal/posterior glide to increase elbow extension.
References
- Kaltenborn, F.M. (2007). Manual mobilization of the joints: The extremities volume I (6th ed.). Minneapolis, MN: OPTP.
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2 Responses to “Radiohumeral Mobilization”
Leave a Reply
ronit
29. Jun, 2011
thanks!
i would like to take this oppertunity and ask you a question:
what is the difference in the technique between this radiohumeral glide of the radius and the gliding of the radial head in the proximal radioulnar joint- which increase pro-supination?
wating to your response
thanks a lot
ronit.
Jenny
05. Jul, 2011
Ronit,
Thanks for the question. Now that school is over and I’ve taken the NPTE, it looks like I have a few video write ups I need to finish!
You are right the radiohumeral and proximal radioulnar mobilizations are very similar. The patient positioning and technique are almost identical except in the prox radioulnar technique, the thumb on the stabilizing hand drops down a little onto the prox radioular joint. The radiohumeral mobilization increases elbow flexion and extension while the prox radioulnar mobilization increases supination and pronation (anterior/ventral glide to increase supination and posterior/dorsal glide to increase pronation).
Hope this helps clear things up for you!