| Term |
Meaning |
Example |
| Flexion |
Bending the joint to
make the angle between the two bones smaller. Occurs in the sagittal plane. |
When you touch your
right shoulder with your right hand, your elbow is in flexion (flexed). |
| Extension |
Straightening a joint
to make the angle larger. Occurs in the sagittal plane. |
If you straighten your
legs, the knees have undergone extension (extended). |
| Abduction |
Moving away from the
median plane. Movement occurs in the coronal plane. |
When you stand with
your feet apart, your legs are in abduction (abducted). |
| Adduction |
The opposite of
abduction. |
If you sqeeze your
knees together, you are adducting your legs. |
| Lateral Flexion |
A movement in the
coronal plane used to describe a movement of the spine. |
If you tilt you head to
touch your ear to your shoulder, you have laterally flexed your neck. |
| Internal Rotation |
Rotation of a limb
where the anterior surface of the limb moves medially. |
You internally rotate
your shoulder when you scratch your back. |
| External Rotation |
The opposite of
internal rotation. |
You externally rotate
your hip when you point your feet out to the side. |
| Circumduction |
A circular motion
combining flexion, extension, abduction and adduction. |
Making circles in the
air with your arms. |
| Supination |
A movement of the
forearm in which the palm faces posteriorly. |
When screwing in a
screw with a screwdriver using your right hand, you have to supinate your forearm. |
| Pronation |
A movement of the
forearm in which the palm faces anteriorly. |
When unscrewing a screw
with your right hand, you must pronate your forearm. |
| Protraction |
Moving anteriorly. |
Sticking your chin out. |
| Retraction |
Moving posteriorly. |
Pushing your shoulders
back to squeeze your shoulder blades together. |
| Opposition |
Movement of the hand
where the thumb touches the 5th finger. |
|
| Dorsiflexion |
Movement of the ankle
in the sagittal plane which decreases the angle between the foot and the lower leg |
When you point your
foot towards your head. |
| Plantar Flexion |
Movement of the ankle
in the sagittal plane which increases the angle between the foot and the lower leg |
When you stand on
'tip-toes' your ankles are in plantarflexion. |
| Elevation |
Upward movement |
When shrugging your
shoulders you elevate them |
| Depression |
Opposite to elevation |
|