abduction

(noun)

moving a bone away from the midline of the body

Related Terms

Examples of abduction in the following topics:

  • Movement at Synovial Joints

    • There are several different types of angular movements, including flexion, extension, hyperextension, abduction, adduction, and circumduction.
    • Examples of abduction include moving the arms or legs laterally to lift them straight out to the side.
    • Movement of the limbs inward after abduction is an example of adduction.
    • Moving the limb or hand laterally away from the body, or spreading the fingers or toes, is abduction.
    • Adduction/abduction and circumduction take place at the shoulder, hip, wrist, metacarpophalangeal, and metatarsophalangeal joints.