Synovial Joints

Question 1

What is flexion?

Answer 1

is a decrease in the angle between the anterior surfaces of the articulating bones.

Question 2

What is extension?

Answer 2

is an increase in the angle between the anterior surfaces of the articulating bones.

Question 3

What is lateral flexion?

Answer 3

is a decrease in the angle between the lateral surfaces of the articulating bones of the vertebrae.

Question 4

What is lateral extension?

Answer 4

is an increase in the angle between the lateral surfaces of the articulating bones of the vertebrae.

Question 5

What is hyperextension?

Answer 5

is an increase in the angle between the anterior surfaces of the metatarsals (i.e. the foot and the fibula, or shin).

Question 6

What is dorsiflexion?

Answer 6

is a decrease in the angle between the anterior surfaces of the metatarsals (i.e. the foot and the fibula, or shin).

Question 7

What is plantar flexion?

Answer 7

is actually an extension of the ankle joint but is referred to as plantar flexion.

Question 8

What is inversion?

Answer 8

is the movement where the sole of the foot is turned medially or inward.

Question 9

What is exersion?

Answer 9

is the movement where the sole of the foot is turned laterally or outward.

Question 10

What is abduction?

Answer 10

is movement of the bone or limb away from the midline of the body.

Question 11

What is adduction?

Answer 11

is movement of the bone or limb towards the midline of the body.

Question 12

What is opposition?

Answer 12

is where you bring the tip of the thumb across to the tip of each finger.

Question 13

What is depression?

Answer 13

is where we pull a joint down or return from elevation.

Question 14

What is supination?

Answer 14

a movement of the forearm where the palm is turned anteriorly or superiorly (this movement is best shown with the elbow flexed; otherwise, the motion is likely to be derived from shoulder rotation).

Question 15

What is pronation?

Answer 15

a movement of the forearm where the palm is turned posteriorly or inferiorly (this movement is best shown with the elbow flexed; otherwise, the motion is likely to be derived from shoulder rotation).

Question 16

What is elevation?

Answer 16

is where we raise a joint - for example raising the shoulders.

Question 17

What is protraction?

Answer 17

moving a part forward (bringing the shoulders forward).

Question 18

What is retraction?

Answer 18

moving a part backward (pulling the shoulders backward).

Question 19

What is circumduction?

Answer 19

movement where the distal end of a bone moves in a circle whilst the proximal end remains still.

Question 20

What is medial (or internal) rotation?

Answer 20

is where the anterior surface of the bone or limb rotates towards the midline of the body.

Question 21

What is lateral (or external) rotation?

Answer 21

is where the anterior surface of the bone or limb rotates away from the midline of the body.

Question 22

What is horizontal extension/abduction

Answer 22

is an increase in the angle between the anterior surfaces of the articulating bones, in the horizontal or transverse plane.

Question 23

What is horizontal flexion/adduction

Answer 23

is a decrease in the angle between the anterior surfaces of the articulating bones, in the horizontal or transverse plane.