CourseCourseQ BankQuestion BankDocsDocuments

B3.3.7 (HL)—Range of motion

Range of motion differs between joints because joint type and surrounding structures determine allowed planes, angles and movement directions precisely.

Syllabus
First assessment 2025
Objective
B3.3.7
Level
HL

Exam analysis

Chance of appearing3%of analysed past papers
Latest appearanceMay 2025
Most common paperPaper1
Typical marks1–3

Common command terms

  • Compare
  • Identify
  • Describe

Scoring notes

Common mistake
Saying the knee allows all-plane movement like the hip.

Recent exam appearances

May 2025Paper1B ["HL"] · TZ34(b)[ 3 ]B3.3.7 (HL)—Range of motion
November 2014Paper1 ["HL"] · TZ025[ 1 ]B3.3.7 (HL)—Range of motion
November 2012Paper1 ["HL"] · TZ039[ 1 ]B3.3.7 (HL)—Range of motion
Practice this objective

Coverage 2012–2025 · Updated 15 Jul 2026

Synovial joints and range of motion

HL only
Labelled knee anatomy showing bones, cartilage, menisci, ligaments and tendons around a synovial joint.

A synovial joint permits movement while limiting friction and instability. At the hip, the head of the femur fits into the pelvis; articular cartilage covers the bone ends, a synovial membrane produces lubricating fluid, ligaments stabilize the joint, and tendons attach muscles to bones. A ball-and-socket joint such as the hip allows movement in several planes, including circumduction. A hinge joint such as the knee mainly allows flexion and extension. Range of motion can be measured as a joint angle with a goniometer or image analysis.

  • Cartilage reduces friction; synovial fluid lubricates.
  • Ligaments connect and stabilize bones; tendons connect muscle to bone.
  • Hip = ball-and-socket with wide multi-plane movement.
  • Knee = hinge joint, mainly flexion and extension.
  • Range of motion is recorded as an angle in degrees.

Range of motion

HL only

Assessment in practice

1–3 marks
How it is assessed

This objective is assessed through structured response, commonly using Compare / Identify / Describe.

Command terms

Compare / Identify / Describe

What earns marks

Build the answer around this relationship: Ball-and-socket joints allow movement in multiple planes.

Watch for

Saying the knee allows all-plane movement like the hip.

Representative question

Question 1

[Maximum number: 2]

Compare the movements of the hip joint and the knee joint.

Muscle And Motility

HL only

A strong answer links movement benefit, muscle contraction mechanism, force transfer, joint range, and locomotion adaptations. For contraction, use calcium-troponin-tropomyosin and ATP-driven myosin cross-bridge cycling. For movement, use antagonistic muscles, tendons, ligaments, skeletons as levers, and joint type. For locomotion, link body form to survival or swimming advantage. Locomotion can improve survival and reproductive success.

  • Contraction answers need calcium, actin binding sites, myosin cross-bridges, ATP, and sarcomere shortening.
  • Movement answers need antagonistic pairs because muscles contract but do not actively extend.
  • Joint and skeleton answers need tendon versus ligament, lever action, synovial fluid, and range of motion.
  • Locomotion answers should link examples to food, escape, mate finding, or migration: blackbirds feeding, hares escaping predators, orangutans finding mates, and whales migrating.

Concept essentials

  • Ball-and-socket joints allow movement in multiple planes.
  • Hinge joints mainly allow flexion and extension in one plane.
  • Range of motion can be measured in degrees using a goniometer.
  • Joint shape, ligaments and muscles all influence movement range.