Kinesiology Terms
What is Flexion?
Flexion is a movement that decreases the angle between two body parts. It usually involves bringing a body part closer to the body or bending it inward. For example, when you bring your knee towards your chest, you are flexing your hip joint. When you lower your head to touch your chin to your chest, you are flexing your neck. Flexion can occur at many joints in the body, including the spine, hips, knees, and elbows.
What is Extension?
Extension is a movement that increases the angle between two body parts or limbs. In other words, it is the opposite of flexion. Extension occurs when a joint is straightened, resulting in an increase in the angle between two bones connected by that joint. For example, when you straighten your arm from a bent position, you are extending your elbow joint. Extension is a common movement in various activities and exercises, including weightlifting, yoga, and gymnastics.
What is Abduction?
Abduction is a movement of a body part away from the midline of the body. In other words, it is the movement of a limb or body segment away from the center of the body or from the midline axis. For example, raising the arms or legs to the side is an example of abduction.
What is Adduction?
Adduction is a movement that brings a body part closer to the midline of the body. In the context of human anatomy, it typically refers to movements of the limbs, such as bringing the arms down to the sides of the body or bringing the legs back together after performing a jumping jack exercise. For example, when you move your arms from a T position out to your sides to down by your sides, it’s called adduction.
What is Supination?
Supination is a movement that occurs at the joint connecting the forearm and the wrist. In supination, the forearm rotates laterally so that the palm of the hand faces up or forward. In this position, the radius and ulna bones of the forearm are parallel, and the hand and forearm are in a position to perform actions such as holding a cup of tea, using a hammer or carrying a bag.
What is Pronation?
Pronation is the inward rotation of the forearm or foot so that the palm or sole of the foot faces downward or backward. In the case of the foot, it involves the rotation of the ankle and subtalar joints. Pronation is a natural movement that occurs during walking, running, and other weight-bearing activities. However, excessive or prolonged pronation can lead to problems such as overuse injuries and misalignment of the lower extremities.
What is Lateral Flexion?
Lateral flexion is a movement of the spine that involves bending sideways. It is a movement where the head, neck, and trunk bend to the side, away from the midline of the body. For example, when you tilt your head to one side to touch your ear to your shoulder, you are performing lateral flexion of the neck. Lateral flexion can occur in different parts of the spine, such as the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions. This movement is important in many activities such as dancing, gymnastics, and yoga, as well as in everyday movements like reaching for objects on a high shelf or putting on shoes.
What is Medial rotation (internal rotation?)
Medial rotation, also known as internal rotation, refers to the movement of a limb or joint towards the midline of the body. In anatomical terms, it involves rotation of the anterior surface of a limb or body part towards the midline or axis of the body. For example, when the arm is internally rotated, the palm of the hand is turned towards the back of the body. Medial rotation occurs at several joints in the body, including the hip, shoulder, and knee. It is an important movement pattern for many activities, such as walking, running, and throwing.
What is Lateral rotation (external rotation?)
Lateral rotation, also known as external rotation, refers to the movement of a limb or body segment away from the midline or axis of the body. This movement involves rotating the joint or body segment externally, or away from the center of the body. The movement is often described in terms of the direction in which the distal end of the limb or segment moves, such as laterally or outwardly.
Examples of lateral rotation in the body include the rotation of the shoulder joint, which allows the arm to move outward from the body, and the rotation of the hip joint, which allows the leg to move outward and away from the body. Lateral rotation is an important movement for many sports and activities, such as throwing a ball, swinging a golf club, and performing a pirouette in dance.
What is Elevation?
Elevation is a movement that lifts a body part superiorly, towards the head. It is the opposite of depression, which lowers a body part inferiorly, away from the head. Examples of elevation include shrugging the shoulders to lift them towards the ears, or raising the toes to lift the foot towards the shin. Elevation is important for various movements, including breathing, walking, and reaching.
What is Depression?
In anatomy, depression refers to the movement of a body part in an inferior or downward direction. For example, when you lower your shoulders from an elevated position, you are performing depression of the scapulae. Another example is the depression of the mandible (lower jaw) when opening the mouth. This movement is important for various functional activities such as chewing, speaking, and breathing.
What is Dorsiflexion?
Dorsiflexion is a movement that occurs at the ankle joint, where the foot is lifted upward, bringing the top of the foot closer to the shin. This movement is achieved by contracting the muscles that run along the front of the lower leg, such as the tibialis anterior muscle. Dorsiflexion is important for activities such as walking, running, and jumping, as it allows the foot to clear the ground and move forward.
What is plantar flexion?
Plantar flexion is a movement that occurs at the ankle joint, where the foot is extended downward, pointing the toes away from the shin. This movement is achieved by contracting the muscles that run along the back of the lower leg, such as the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. Plantar flexion is important for activities such as standing on tiptoe, running, and jumping, as it allows the foot to generate the force needed to push off the ground and propel the body forward.
What is Eversion?
Eversion is a movement that occurs at the ankle joint, where the foot is turned outward, away from the midline of the body. This movement is achieved by contracting the muscles that run along the outer aspect of the lower leg and ankle, such as the peroneus longus and brevis muscles. Eversion is important for maintaining stability and balance during weight-bearing activities, as it helps to prevent the ankle from rolling inward (inversion) and causing injury.
What is Inversion?
Inversion is a movement that occurs at the ankle joint, where the foot is turned inward, toward the midline of the body. This movement is achieved by contracting the muscles that run along the inner aspect of the lower leg and ankle, such as the tibialis posterior muscle. Inversion is important for maintaining stability and balance during weight-bearing activities, as it helps to prevent the ankle from rolling outward (eversion) and causing injury. However, excessive inversion can also be a common mechanism of ankle sprains.
What is Protraction?
Protraction is a movement that occurs in the horizontal plane and refers to the forward movement of a body part away from the midline of the body. For example, protraction of the shoulder girdle occurs when the shoulders move forward and away from the spine. Protraction can also occur at other joints, such as the jaw, where the mandible can be protracted forward. This movement is achieved by the contraction of specific muscles, such as the serratus anterior muscle in the case of shoulder protraction. Protraction is important for reaching forward and grasping objects, as well as for certain movements in activities such as sports or dance.
What is Retraction?
Retraction is a movement that occurs in the horizontal plane and refers to the backward movement of a body part towards the midline of the body. For example, retraction of the shoulder girdle occurs when the shoulders move backwards towards the spine. Retraction can also occur at other joints, such as the jaw, where the mandible can be retracted backwards. This movement is achieved by the contraction of specific muscles, such as the rhomboids and trapezius muscles in the case of shoulder retraction. Retraction is important for maintaining good posture, stability, and balance, and for movements such as pulling or rowing.
What is Circumduction?
Circumduction is a movement that occurs at a synovial joint where a body part (such as a limb) moves in a circular manner through a range of motion. It involves a combination of flexion, extension, abduction, and adduction of the joint, resulting in a cone-shaped movement of the limb. For example, circumduction can occur at the shoulder joint, where the arm is lifted out to the side (abduction), then moved in a circular motion as it is brought forward (flexion), across the body (adduction), and then back to the starting position (extension). Circumduction is important for many activities that involve the movement of limbs, such as swimming, throwing a ball, and dancing.