Joint Movements

Sports Medicine

Abduction

A movement of a limb latterly away from the body ex: spreading the fingers

Addiction

Movement of a limb medially toward or across the midline of the body ex: bringing fingers together

Circumduction

circular motion of the arm, thigh, hand, thumb or finger that is produced by the sequential combination of flexion, abduction, extension and addiction

Dorsiflexion

Movement at the ankle that brings the top of the foot toward the anterior leg

Plantar Flexion

Foot movement at the ankle in which the heel is lifted off the ground

Eversion

Foot movement in which the bottom of the foot is turned laterally, away from the midline

Inversion

Foot movement in which the bottom of the foot is turned toward the midline

Extension

Movement that increases the angle of a joint (straightnes the joint)

Flexion

Movement that decreases the angle of a joint (bends the joint)

Hyperextension

Excessive extension of joint, beyond the normal range of movement

Hyperflexion

Excessive flexion of joint, beyond the normal range of movement

Lateral flexion

Bending of the neck or body toward the right or left side

Lateral (external) rotation

Movement of the arm at the shoulder joint or the thigh at the hip joint that moves the anterior surface of the limb away from the midline of the body

Medial (internal) rotation

Movement of the arm at the shoulder joint or thigh at the hip joint that brings the anterior surface of the limb toward the midline of the body

Opposition

Thumb movement that brings the tip of the thumb in contact with the tip of the finger

Reposition

Movement of the thumb from opposition back to the anatomical position (next to index finger )

Pronation

Forearm motion that moves the palm of the hand from the palm forward to the palm backward position

Supination

Forearm motion that moves the palm of the hand from the palm backward to the palm forward position