Which movement means moving a limb away from the midline?

Which movement means moving a limb away from the midline?

• A. Abduction
• B. Adduction
• C. Flexion
• D. Extension

Answer: (A)

Moving a limb away from the body's midline is abduction. This directional term describes how a limb is drawn laterally away from the central axis, such as lifting the arm straight out to the side or spreading the fingers away from the palm. In the shoulder, abduction starts with the supraspinatus and is continued by the deltoid; in the hip, it’s performed mainly by the gluteus medius and minimus. The opposite action, adduction, pulls the limb toward the midline. Flexion and extension refer to bending and straightening a joint (changing the joint angle), not the limb’s position relative to the midline.

Moving a limb away from the body's midline is abduction. This directional term describes how a limb is drawn laterally away from the central axis, such as lifting the arm straight out to the side or spreading the fingers away from the palm. In the shoulder, abduction starts with the supraspinatus and is continued by the deltoid; in the hip, it’s performed mainly by the gluteus medius and minimus. The opposite action, adduction, pulls the limb toward the midline. Flexion and extension refer to bending and straightening a joint (changing the joint angle), not the limb’s position relative to the midline.