Terms of Movement

Question 1

abduction

Answer 1

lateral movement away from the midline of the body in the frontal plane

Question 2

adduction

Answer 2

movement medially toward the midline of the trunk in the frontal plane

Question 3

flexion

Answer 3

bending movement that results in the decrease of the joint angle

Question 4

extension

Answer 4

straightening movement that results in an increase of the joint angle

Question 5

circumduction

Answer 5

circular movement of a limb; combination of flexion, extension, abduction and adduction

Question 6

diagonal abduction

Answer 6

movement by a limb through a diagonal plane away from the midline of the body (hip or shoulder joint)

Question 7

diagonal adduction

Answer 7

movement by a limb through a diagonal plane toward and across the midline of the body (hip or shoulder joint)

Question 8

external rotation

Answer 8

rotary movement around the longitudinal axis of a bone away from the midline of the body; also known as lateral rotation

Question 9

internal rotation

Answer 9

rotary movement around the longitudinal axis of a bone toward the midline of the body; also known as medial rotation

Question 10

rotation

Answer 10

movement of a bone or part around its longitudinal axis

Question 11

eversion

Answer 11

turning the sole of the foot outward or laterally (frontal plane); abduction of the foot

Question 12

inversion

Answer 12

turning the sole of the foot inward or medially; adduction of the foot

Question 13

dorsiflexion

Answer 13

flexion movement of the ankle that results in the top of the foot moving toward the anterior tibia bone (sagittal)

Question 14

plantar flexion

Answer 14

extension movement of the ankle that results in the foot/toes moving away from the body

Question 15

pronation

Answer 15

foot and ankle position resulting from a combination of ankle dorsiflexion, subtalar eversion, and forefoot abduction
&
internally rotating the radius; palm-down position (transverse plane)

Question 16

supination

Answer 16

foot and ankle position resulting from a combination of ankle plantar flexion, subtalar inversion, and forefoot adduction
&
externally rotating the radius; palm-up position

Question 17

depression

Answer 17

inferior movement of the shoulder girdle (frontal plane)–shrugging up

Question 18

elevation

Answer 18

superior movement of the shoulder girdle
–shrugging down/relaxing

Question 19

protraction

Answer 19

forward movement of the shoulder girdle in the transverse plane away from the spine; abduction of the scapula
ex: pushup position

Question 20

retraction

Answer 20

backward movement of the shoulder girdle in the transverse plane towards the spine; adduction of the scapula
ex: relaxing after the pushup

Question 21

downward rotation

Answer 21

rotary movement of the scapula in the frontal plane with the inferior angle of the scapula moving medially and downward (return from upward rotation)

Question 22

upward rotation

Answer 22

rotary movement of the scapula in the frontal plane with the inferior angle of the scapula moving laterally and upward

Question 23

horizontal abduction

Answer 23

movement of the humerus in the transverse plane away from the midline of the body (palms are facing toward the ground)

Question 24

horizontal adduction

Answer 24

movement of the humerus in the transverse plane towards the midline of the body

Question 25

scaption

Answer 25

movement of the humerus away from the body in the scapula plane; glenohumerual abduction in the plane halfway between the sagittal and frontal planes (halfway between abduction and adduction; 45 degree angle)

Question 26

lateral flexion

Answer 26

also called side bending; movement of the head and/or trunk in the frontal plane laterally away from the midline (abduction of the spine)

Question 27

reduction

Answer 27

return of the spine to the anatomical position from lateral flexion (frontal plane)

Question 28

radial deviation

Answer 28

hand moved laterally in the frontal plane toward the radial side (thumb side); abduction of the wrist

Question 29

ulnar deviation

Answer 29

hand moves medially in the frontal plane toward the ulnar side (pinky side); adduction of the wrist

Question 30

opposition (thumb)

Answer 30

diagonal movement of the thumb across the palmar surface of the hand to make contact with the fingers; thumb to pinky

Question 31

reposition (thumb)

Answer 31

diagonal movement of the thumb as it returns to the anatomical position from opposition