Which description best describes shoulder range of motion when lifting the arm to ear level?

• A. The elbow remains stationary
• B. The arm is raised in front of the body to chest level
• C. The movement is repeated thrice
• D. The arm is raised away from the side toward head to ear level and then returned to the side

Answer: (D)

Moving the arm from the side out away from the body and then up toward the head to reach ear level shows the shoulder working through its ability to abduct and flex to an overhead position, then return. This description precisely captures the ROM you’re assessing when you ask someone to lift the arm to ear level and bring it back down. The other phrases don’t describe that shoulder motion: one mentions the elbow staying in place, which isn’t the focus of the shoulder movement; another describes lifting the arm only to chest level in front of the body, which is a different range; and one talks about repeating the motion rather than describing the actual movement path.