In the Joint by Joint Approach, which characteristic is assigned to the shoulders?

• A. Stability
• B. Mobility
• C. Flexibility
• D. Rotation

Answer: (A)

The Joint by Joint Approach holds that adjacent joints should alternate between needing stability and needing mobility to optimize movement. The shoulder region is designed to place the hand in space and perform a wide range of motions, so it falls under the mobility category. This mobility comes from the shoulder complex—the glenohumeral joint and the scapulothoracic articulation—working together to allow lifting, reaching, and throwing. Stability in this area is still important, but it’s provided by surrounding muscles and the shoulder girdle, not by making the shoulder itself a stable joint in this framework. Rotation is a specific type of motion, and flexibility refers to tissue length, whereas the framework is concerned with whether the joint itself should primarily be mobile or stable. So, mobility is the characteristic assigned to the shoulders.