Promote and maintain joint mobility Prevent contractures and shortening of

muscles and tendons Increase circulation to extremities Decrease vascular complications of

immobility Enhance rehabilitation Facilitate comfort for the patient

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Active range of Motion – when the patient can perform the exercises alone.

Passive Range of Motion – patients cannot do for themselves and are performed by nurse or physical therapist.

Active-Assisted exercises – performed by the patient with some assistance

1. Be aware of the patient’s medical condition

2. Familiarize yourself with the patient’s current ROM

3. Assess the patient’s ability to participate in the ROM exercises

1. Frequency of providing ROM depends on the patient’s condition, but once a shift is usually the minimum.

2. Because warm water relaxes the muscles and joints, bathing is an ideal time to perform ROM

3. Raise the bed to a height that keeps you from having to bend at the waist as you work. Lower when finished.

4. While ROM is being performed, the patient is usually placed in the supine position

5. During ROM, be sure to support the distal and proximal end of the limbs

6. Try to work on one joint at a time with about 5 repetitive actions per joint.

The nurse is putting Mr. Jones joints through ROM. What 2 conditions indicate that the nurse should stop?

1.

2.

Fatigue / weakness

Pain

Do you always need an order to do ROM for a patient?

How many times should you perform ROM activity on a joint?