Anatomical Terms of Movement

Question 1

Flexion

Answer 1

Refers to a movement that decreases the angle between 2 body parts

EXAMPLE: When knee flexes the ankle moves closet to the buttock, and the angle between the femur and tibia gets smaller

Question 2

Extension

Answer 2

Refers to a movement that increases the angle between 2 body parts

EXAMPLE: Extension on knee straightens the lower limb

Question 3

Abduction

Answer 3

Refers to a movement away from the midline

EXAMPLE: Abduction of shoulder raises the arms out to sides of the body

Question 4

Adduction

Answer 4

Refers to a movement towards the midline

EXAMPLE: Adduction of the hips squeezes the legs together

Question 5

Abduction and Adduction in the Fingers and Toes

Answer 5

Midline of the hand and foot are used rather than the midline of the body

Question 6

Medial Rotation (Internal Rotation)

Answer 6

A rotational movement towards the midline

EXAMPLE: Take a straight leg and rotate to point toes inwards, this is medial rotation of the hip

Question 7

Lateral Rotation

Answer 7

A rotational movement away from the midline

EXAMPLE: Take the right arm with it pointing towards the left hip at 90 degrees, then rotate it so its pointing in front of you at 90 degrees, this is lateral rotation on the shoulder

Question 8

Elevation

Answer 8

Refers to a movement in the superior direction

EXAMPLE: A shoulder shrug

Question 9

Depression

Answer 9

Refers to a movement in an inferior direction

EXAMPLE: Shoulder shrug down

Question 10

Supination

Answer 10

With hand resting on a table in front of you, turn the hand palm up, this is the supine position, so the movement is supination

Question 11

Pronation

Answer 11

With hand resting palm up on a table in front of you, turn the hand palm down, this is the prone position, so the movement is pronation

Question 12

Dorsiflexion

Answer 12

Refers to flexion at the ankle so that the foot points more superiorly {in regards to the 2 surfaces of the foot, the dorsum (superior surface) and the plantar surface (sole)}

Question 13

Plantarflexion (foot)/ Palmarflexion (hand)

Answer 13

Refers to extension at the ankle so that the foot points inferiorly

Question 14

Inversion

Answer 14

Occurs at the ankle joint

Involves the movement of the sole towards the median plane (foot points outwards, sole inwards towards body)

Question 15

Eversion

Answer 15

Occurs at the ankle joint

Involves the movement of the sole away from the median plane (foot points inwards, sole outwards away from the body)

Question 16

Opposition

Answer 16

A movement that brings the thumb and little finger together

Question 17

Reposition

Answer 17

A movement that moves the thumb and little finger away from one another

Question 18

Circumduction

Answer 18

Defined as a conical movement of a limb extending from the joint at which the movement is controlled

Question 19

Protraction

Answer 19

In practice, the movement of “reaching out” (both arms) to something

Describes the anterolateral movement of the scapula on the thoracic wall that allows the shoulder to move anteriorly (plates on back/ shoulder blades move laterally)

Question 20

Retraction

Answer 20

In practice, the movement of e.g. picking something up

Refers to the posteromedial movement of the scapula on the thoracic wall, which causes the shoulder region to move posteriorly (plates on back/ shoulder blades move medially)