Anatomical Terms of Movement

Flexion

Decreasing the Angle of the Joint/ Bending the joint

Example of Flexion

Your mom giving you the car keys

Extension

Increasing the angle of a joint/ Straightening the joint

Example of Extension

You having the car keys and putting your hand back down

Dorsiflexion

Decreasing the angle of the ankle joint

Example of Dorsiflexion

Pigeon feet

Plantarflexion

Increasing the angle of the ankle joint

Example of Plantarflexion

When you don’t got shoes on so you gotta go on your toes

Elevation

Moving a body part in a superior direction

Example of elevation

Shrugging my shoulders when dad tells me what I want to do in life.

Depression

Moving a body part in an inferior direction

Example of Depression

When I can’t have Dutch Bross

Eversion

Rotating the ankle so that the sole of the foot points away from the other

Example of Eversion

Twisting my dumb ankle

Inversion

Rotating the ankle so that the sole of the foot points the other way.

Example of Inversion

Twisting my ankle inward

Abduction

Moving a limb away from the medial line of the body

Example of Abduction

When you get abducted by aliens

Adduction

Moving a limb toward the medial line of the body

Example of Adduction

When the aliens give you back

Lateral Rotation

Rotating the limb away from the medial line of the body.

Example of Lateral Rotation

Paguin ass pose

Medial Rotation

Rotating a limb towards the medial line of the body

Medial Rotation example

Inverted Penguin ass pose

Pronation

Rotating the forearm so that the palm faces down if the forearm is flexed.

Example of Pronation

You have a ball in your hand and bounce it

Supination

Rotating the forearm so that the palm faces up if the forearm is flexed.

Example of Supination

You finish dribbling the ball and now have it in your palm

Retraction

Posterior movement of the arm at the shoulder

Example of Retraction

When someone tries to touch your shoulder, you move your shoulder farther back

Protraction

Anterior movement of the arm at the shoulder

Example of protraction

Moving your shoulder forward so you don’t bump into someone

Lateral Flexion

Bending the spine away from the medial line of the body.

Example of Lateral Flexion

When you stretch to get rid of a cramp on a run