After a hit, most people notice the big things first: the pain, the swelling, the moment the game stopped. The smaller question of how far a joint still moves tends to get answered by accident, when you reach for a shelf or turn around to check a car. A range column gives that question a place in your record.
Range of motion means how far a joint can move in each direction before it stops. A joint can stop for many reasons, including muscle guarding, stiffness, swelling, and pain. A log that only says "sore" cannot separate those. A log that says what stopped you, and where, can.
What to write each time
Pick one movement per line and keep the wording the same from day to day. For example: "Bend the knee, heel toward buttock, lying on back." Then record the date, the time of day, and what you were doing beforehand, such as a long drive, a morning warm-up, or nothing special.
Next, note what ended the movement. Use simple categories you can repeat: stopped by pain, stopped by tightness, stopped by a catch or lock, or stopped because the joint simply ran out of room. Add a short phrase in your own words describing the feeling at the end point. Avoid guessing at a cause. The column records what happened, not why.
Finally, write a rough sense of effort. Did the movement feel easy, effortful, or forced? Did you need your other hand to help? These details make entries easier to compare later without needing numbers.
Keeping the conditions steady
Range changes with warmth, rest, and how recently you moved. Morning stiffness often differs from evening range, and a joint that has been still for hours may feel different after a short walk. If you write every entry at the same point in the day, in the same position, the comparisons will mean more.
Do not try to beat your previous entry. Pushing into pain to add a few degrees changes the result and can irritate the area. A gentle, controlled attempt that stops at the first clear limit gives you a more honest line. If a movement is too painful to test, write that down and skip it rather than forcing it.
Compare left and right where it makes sense. Many people have a natural difference between sides, especially in the dominant arm or leg. Your uninjured side is a useful reference, but it is only a reference, not a target.
Reading the column over time
Look at the column once a week. Are the stopping points moving further along, staying the same, or shifting to a different reason? A limit that changes from "stopped by pain" to "stopped by tightness" is worth noting, because the picture has changed even if the total range has not.
Bring the column with you when you talk with a provider. It gives them a dated, consistent record rather than a memory of how things felt on a good or bad day. The range column does not replace an exam, and it cannot tell anyone what is wrong. It shows what you have been able to do and how that has changed.
When to stop logging and get seen
Some changes in movement should not wait for the next entry. If a joint suddenly locks and will not move at all, if you notice new numbness, tingling, or weakness, if the joint will not take any weight, or if the range gets clearly worse from one day to the next, arrange to be examined promptly. Write the time and the movement down first, then make the call.
Otherwise, a few minutes a day is enough. One clear line per movement, repeated under the same conditions, gives you a record that is easy to read and hard to dispute. Your column can start today, even if you are not sure yet what the injury is.