The following terms are used to describe body movements (see figure 17): • ABDUCTION: a movement away from the midline of the body. Abduction also refers to the spreading apart of fingers or toes • ADDUCTION: a movement towards the middle of the body. It also refers to movements of the fingers or toes when they are drawn closer together • CIRCUMDUCTION: a complex movement which combines abduction, adduction, extension, and flexion so that a limb, for example, follows a cone-shaped path. Circumduction incorporates all the movements of ball and socket joints (e.g. hips and shoulder) • DORSIFLEXION: a movement of the foot which brings the toes closer to the shin • EVERSION: turning the sole of the foot outwards • EXTENSION: straightening of a joint so that two bones move further apart • FLEXION: bending a joint so that two bones move closer together • INVERSION: turning the sole of the foot inwards • PLANTAR FLEXION: a movement of the foot which takes the toes further away from the shin; pointing the toes downwards • PRONATION: turning the wrist so that the palm faces downwards (or an inward rotation of the foot) • ROTATION: movement around the axis of a bone or body part. Movement towards the midline of the body is called medial (or internal) rotation; movement away from the midline is called lateral (or external) rotation • SUPINATION: turning the palm upwards (or an internal rotation of the foot).
• ABDUCTION: a movement away from the midline of the body. Abduction also refers to the spreading apart of fingers or toes
• ADDUCTION: a movement towards the middle of the body. It also refers to movements of the fingers or toes when they are drawn closer together
• CIRCUMDUCTION: a complex movement which combines abduction, adduction, extension, and flexion so that a limb, for example, follows a cone-shaped path. Circumduction incorporates all the movements of ball and socket joints (e.g. hips and shoulder)
• DORSIFLEXION: a movement of the foot which brings the toes closer to the shin
• EVERSION: turning the sole of the foot outwards
• EXTENSION: straightening of a joint so that two bones move further apart
• FLEXION: bending a joint so that two bones move closer together
• INVERSION: turning the sole of the foot inwards
• PLANTAR FLEXION: a movement of the foot which takes the toes further away from the shin; pointing the toes downwards
• PRONATION: turning the wrist so that the palm faces downwards (or an inward rotation of the foot)
• ROTATION: movement around the axis of a bone or body part. Movement towards the midline of the body is called medial (or internal) rotation; movement away from the midline is called lateral (or external) rotation
• SUPINATION: turning the palm upwards (or an internal rotation of the foot).
Figure 17 Body movements