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• Anatomical terms of movement


  Used to describe the actions of muscles upon the skeleton. Muscles contract to produce movement at joints, and the subsequent movements can be precisely described using this terminology.
• The terms used assume that the body begins in the anatomical position
• Most movements have an opposite movement – also known as an antagonistic movement
• Flexion


  Decreases the angle between two body parts
• Extension


  Increases the angle between two body parts
• Abduction


  Moves away from the midline
• Adduction


  Moves toward the midline
• Medial rotation


  Moves towards the midline (internal rotation)
• Lateral rotation


  Moves away from the midline. Opposite direction to medial rotation.
• Elevation


  Movement in a superior direction (e.g. shoulder shrug)
• Depression


  Movement in an inferior direction (e.g. Dropping your chin towards your chest)
• Supination


  Turning hand to the back, palm up
• Pronation


  Turning hand to the front, palm down
• Supine: Lying flat on the back. Prone: Lying flat on the front.
• Dorsiflexion


  Flexion at the ankle, pointing foot superiorly. Lifting toes toward shin. Dorsiflexion of the hand is extension.
• Plantarflexion


  Extension at the ankle, pointing foot inferiorly. Pointing toes downward. Plantarflexion of the hand is palmarflexion.
• Inversion


  Sole moves towards the median plane, facing medially. Turning sole inward.
• Eversion

  Sole moves away from the median plane, facing laterally. Turning sole outward.
• Opposition

  Bringing thumb and little finger together. Grasping an object between thumb and little finger.
• Reposition


  Moving thumb and little finger apart, reversing opposition.
• Circumduction


  Conical movement of a limb, extending from the joint where movement is controlled. Often described as circular but is conical due to limb's 'cone' shape.
• Protraction

  Anterolateral movement of scapula on thoracic wall. Reaching out.
• Retraction

  Posteromedial movement of scapula on thoracic wall. Picking something up.