Which grade mobilization is generally not used by athletic trainers?

• A. Grade I
• B. Grade II
• C. Grade III
• D. Grade V

Answer: (D)

Understanding joint mobilization grades helps explain why the high-thrust option is not commonly used by athletic trainers. The lower grades (I through IV) involve controlled, smaller or larger amplitudes within or at the end of the joint’s available range to modulate pain and improve motion. They’re designed to be gentle, safe, and easy to supervise in rehab settings.

Grade V, by contrast, is a high-velocity thrust that goes beyond the end range of the joint. It’s a manipulation, not a gradual mobilization, and it carries a higher risk of adverse effects such as tissue injury, ligament or joint damage, and, in some joints, dislocation. Because of this increased risk, it requires precise assessment, clear indications, and typically formal training and scope of practice that many athletic trainers do not hold. In many settings, such thrust manipulations are reserved for physicians, chiropractors, or physical therapists who have the specific credentials and supervision to perform them safely.

So, the reason Grade V is generally not used by athletic trainers is that it involves a rapid, high-risk thrust beyond end range, which falls outside the common scope of AT practice and requires specialized training and supervision. Grades I–IV are the modalities typically employed for pain relief and ROM restoration in athletic training.