Which movement moves a limb toward the midline?

Which movement moves a limb toward the midline?

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

Answer: (A)

Moving a limb toward the body's midline is adduction. The midline is the imaginary line that runs down the center of the body, and adduction brings the limb closer to that line. For example, bringing the arm from an out to the side back toward the body or squeezing the thighs together are adduction movements. In contrast, abduction is moving away from the midline, flexion is bending a joint to reduce the angle between bones, and circumduction is a circular, cone-shaped motion around a joint. So the movement toward the midline is adduction.

Moving a limb toward the body's midline is adduction. The midline is the imaginary line that runs down the center of the body, and adduction brings the limb closer to that line. For example, bringing the arm from an out to the side back toward the body or squeezing the thighs together are adduction movements. In contrast, abduction is moving away from the midline, flexion is bending a joint to reduce the angle between bones, and circumduction is a circular, cone-shaped motion around a joint. So the movement toward the midline is adduction.