1. What is a Goniometer?

What is a Goniometer? A goniometer is a simple hand-held device for measur-ing joint angles. A goniometer is, in essence, a protrac-tor that features two arms: one that remains fixed and one which is positioned, accordingly allowing the desired angle to be measured. There are several types of goniometer, all giving a crude but useful measure of angles and range of motion. Clinically these allow a quick and useful assessment of static angles. However, these devices are of little use in measuring angles dynamically during different movement tasks. There are two main types of goniometer, the hinged 'ruler' and the fluid filled. The fluid-filled types are generally more versatile in the angles they can measure, but they measure relative to gravity so, if not used correctly, can be prone to errors if the subject moves whilst taking readings