Mobility · Core test
Shoulder flexion test: the forward arm raise, measured by phone
Your client stands side-on and raises one arm forward. The phone camera measures the angle between trunk and upper arm, and takes trunk lean out of the shoulder angle so you can see it on its own.
Side viewOne arm at a time · 3 repsResult in °About 1 min
What it measures
The angle between the trunk line and the upper-arm line. Arm by the side is 0°; straight overhead is 180°. The wrist position isn't used.
A client who can't reach full range often arches the lower back or leans the trunk so the arm looks higher. That compensation is hard to put a number on by eye. So trunk lean is taken out of the shoulder angle first, and trunk lean and upper-back arching are listed separately in red.
Three raises per arm. Each rep uses the middle value of the hold at end range, and the result is the middle value of the three reps.
Where to put the phone
- Side-on, measured arm towards the cameraFitted clothing or short sleeves work best.
- Lens at shoulder height (1.0–1.2 m)Phone upright on a tripod, 2–3 m away, 1× lens. Before each test the app checks camera height and phone tilt, and tells you what to fix if they're off.
- Hold at the top for over a secondElbow straight, thumb up, arm forward. One practice raise, then three measured.
- Solo modeOnce your client is in place and passes the set-up check, the 3-2-1 starts on its own with voice prompts. No walking back to the phone.
What the report shows
- Shoulder angleThe result and the spread between reps. Values above 180° are marked as reference values that include shoulder-blade and upper-back movement. Error grows near the overhead end of the range.
- Compensation, shown separatelyTrunk lean, upper-back arching and their total, in red. Trunk lean has already been taken out of the shoulder angle.
- Left–right differenceTest the other arm too and a bar shows the difference.
- Reference linesAn age- and sex-based average tick and an everyday-activity line (see reference data below).
- Change since last timeOn a re-test, the first sentence states the change since last time, and a trend chart shows the same test over time.
- PhotosA frame from the test, face blurred. Taken only with the client's photo consent and kept only on the trainer's phone and in the PDF. Report links carry no photos.
- Test video ProRecord the test, replay it with joint angles, and play it side by side with the first one. Videos stay on the trainer's phone.
Reference data
Soucie et al., CDC Joint Range of Motion Study (Haemophilia 2011) — age- and sex-based averages measured lying down with a goniometer. Because that differs from a standing phone test, MovePath doesn't rank against it; it only shows the average as a tick on the bar.
Namdari et al., J Shoulder Elbow Surg 2012 — the average shoulder angle needed for ten everyday tasks. The report draws it as an everyday-activity line (121° flexion) and says, for example, "above the everyday-activity line". It is not a benchmark for overhead training.
Please note
MovePath is not a medical device. This test records measurements to guide exercise; it is not a diagnosis. App readings may differ from a goniometer, tape measure or stopwatch. Use them to compare the same client's first test with today's, measured the same way.
Before you invest in equipment, start with your phone
One phone, 3 minutes, one report. Client photos never leave your phone. Email us and we'll let you know when early access opens.
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