ANATOMICAL MOVEMENT TERMS

Question 1

Flexion

Answer 1

Bending movement that reduces the angle at the joint e.g. bending the knee from a straight to an angled position

Question 2

Extension

Answer 2

The reverse of flexion, i.e. a movement which increases the angle between bones - ‘straightening’

Question 3

Abduction

Answer 3

Movement of a bone away from the midline, e.g. raising an arm to the side. Also used to describe spreading apart of fingers and toes

Question 4

Adduction

Answer 4

Reverse of abduction

Question 5

Circumduction

Answer 5

As the bone or limb moves, it describes a cone while its end. Describes a circle, e.g. stretching the arm out straight and making a circular movement from the shoulder

Question 6

Rotation

Answer 6

Turning of a bone along its own long axis e.g. in medial rotation of the thigh, the femur’s anterior surface moves towards the midline

Question 7

Supination

Answer 7

Movement of the forearm so the palm faces fpwards or upwards and the radius and ulna are parallel

Question 8

Pronation

Answer 8

Reverse of supination - the radius crosses over the ulna and the palm faces backwards or downwards

Question 9

Dorsiflexion

Answer 9

lifting the foot at the ankle

Question 10

Plantar flexion

Answer 10

Pushing the foot downwards to point the toes

Question 11

Inversion

Answer 11

The sole of the foot is turned medially

Question 12

Eversion

Answer 12

The sole of the foot is turned laterally

Question 13

Protraction and retraction

Answer 13

the movement of a bone, forwards and backward in the same horizontal plane

Question 14

Elevation and depression

Answer 14

Up-and-down movements e.g. of the mandible in chewing or raising and lowering the scapulae in shrugging shoulders

Question 15

Opposition and reposition

Answer 15

Movement of the thumb across the palm of the hand to touch the tips of the fingers and back again