Medical Anatomy: Movement Terms
Dorsiflexion
Ankle movement bringing the foot toward the shin
Plantar Flexion
Ankle movement pointing the foot downward
Flexion
Bending of a joint or decreasing the angle between two bones
Hyperextension
Excessive extension of the parts of a joint beyond anatomical position
Depression
Lowering a part
Abduction
Moving a body part away from the midline of the body
Adduction
Moving a body part toward the midline of the body
Retraction
Moving a part backward
Elevation
Raising a part
External Rotation
Rotation of the hip or shoulder away from the midline
Internal Rotation
Rotation of the hip or shoulder toward the midline
Extension
Straightening of a joint or increasing the angle between two bones
Circumduction
Tri-planar circular motion at the hip or shoulder
Rotation
Turning on a single axis
Pronation
Turning the arm downward (palm down)
Supination
Turning the arm upward (palm up)
Inversion
Turning the sole of the foot inward
Eversion
Turning the sole of the foot outward