When assessing Arnold Hampton, what does abduction mean?

When assessing Arnold Hampton, what does abduction mean?

• A. Movement of part toward midline of body
• B. Movement of part away from midline of body
• C. Rotating the joint outward
• D. Rotating the joint inward

Answer: (B)

Understanding directional terms in anatomy, specifically abduction. Abduction means moving a body part away from the midline of the body—the midline being the imaginary line that divides the body into left and right halves. So lifting a limb out to the side away from the torso is abduction. The other terms describe rotation, not abduction: rotating a joint outward is external rotation, rotating inward is internal rotation. Moving toward the midline is adduction, not abduction. Therefore, the description that matches abduction is movement away from the midline. For example, lifting the arm straight out to the side away from the body demonstrates abduction, while bringing the arm back toward the body would be adduction.

Understanding directional terms in anatomy, specifically abduction. Abduction means moving a body part away from the midline of the body—the midline being the imaginary line that divides the body into left and right halves. So lifting a limb out to the side away from the torso is abduction. The other terms describe rotation, not abduction: rotating a joint outward is external rotation, rotating inward is internal rotation. Moving toward the midline is adduction, not abduction. Therefore, the description that matches abduction is movement away from the midline. For example, lifting the arm straight out to the side away from the body demonstrates abduction, while bringing the arm back toward the body would be adduction.