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This lesson covers the eight types of movement at joints required by the AQA GCSE PE specification (3.1.1.1): flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, rotation, circumduction, plantarflexion, and dorsiflexion. You need to be able to define each movement, identify which joints allow it, and apply it to specific sporting examples.
This is one of the most frequently tested topics on the GCSE PE exam paper.
graph TD
A["Movements at Joints"] --> B["Flexion"]
A --> C["Extension"]
A --> D["Abduction"]
A --> E["Adduction"]
A --> F["Rotation"]
A --> G["Circumduction"]
A --> H["Plantarflexion"]
A --> I["Dorsiflexion"]
B --- J["Decreasing angle at a joint"]
C --- K["Increasing angle at a joint"]
D --- L["Moving away from midline"]
E --- M["Moving towards midline"]
F --- N["Turning around a central axis"]
G --- O["Circular movement combining all"]
H --- P["Pointing toes downward"]
I --- Q["Pulling toes upward"]
style A fill:#4a90d9,color:#fff
style B fill:#e67e22,color:#fff
style C fill:#e67e22,color:#fff
style D fill:#27ae60,color:#fff
style E fill:#27ae60,color:#fff
style F fill:#9b59b6,color:#fff
style G fill:#9b59b6,color:#fff
style H fill:#c0392b,color:#fff
style I fill:#c0392b,color:#fff
Definition: Flexion is the decrease in the angle at a joint. It involves bending the joint and bringing the bones closer together.
| Joint | What Flexion Looks Like | Sporting Example |
|---|---|---|
| Shoulder | Raising the arm forward and upward | Lifting the arm to throw a ball overarm |
| Elbow | Bending the arm, bringing hand towards shoulder | The upward phase of a bicep curl |
| Hip | Lifting the thigh forward and upward | Bringing the knee up during running |
| Knee | Bending the leg, bringing heel towards buttock | Drawing the leg back before kicking a football |
Exam Tip: Flexion means the angle gets smaller. Picture the angle between two bones at a joint — if it decreases, it is flexion.
Definition: Extension is the increase in the angle at a joint. It involves straightening the joint and moving the bones apart.
| Joint | What Extension Looks Like | Sporting Example |
|---|---|---|
| Shoulder | Moving the arm backward behind the body | The follow-through of a bowling action in cricket |
| Elbow | Straightening the arm | Throwing a basketball; the pushing phase of a press-up |
| Hip | Moving the thigh backward | Driving the leg back during sprinting |
| Knee | Straightening the leg | Kicking a football; the upward phase of a squat |
Exam Tip: Extension is the opposite of flexion. If a question describes a joint being straightened, the answer is extension. If it is being bent, the answer is flexion.
Definition: Abduction is the movement of a limb away from the midline of the body. The midline is an imaginary line running vertically down the centre of the body.
| Joint | What Abduction Looks Like | Sporting Example |
|---|---|---|
| Shoulder | Raising the arm out to the side | The upward phase of a star jump; raising the arm sideways in a basketball set shot |
| Hip | Moving the leg out to the side | The outward phase of a star jump; a side step in netball |
Exam Tip: Think of abduction as "abducting" a limb — taking it away from the body. The "ab" prefix means "away from."
Definition: Adduction is the movement of a limb towards the midline of the body. It is the opposite of abduction.
| Joint | What Adduction Looks Like | Sporting Example |
|---|---|---|
| Shoulder | Bringing the arm back to the side from a raised position | The downward phase of a star jump; pulling the arm down in a lat pulldown exercise |
| Hip | Bringing the leg back to the centre from a sideways position | The closing phase of a star jump; bringing the legs together in a breaststroke kick |
Exam Tip: Think of adduction as "adding" the limb back to the body — bringing it back towards the midline. The "ad" prefix means "towards."
Definition: Rotation is the turning of a bone around its long axis — like turning a key in a lock or twisting a doorknob.
| Joint | What Rotation Looks Like | Sporting Example |
|---|---|---|
| Shoulder | Turning the upper arm inward or outward | The winding action before a discus throw; the arm rotation during a bowling action in cricket |
| Hip | Turning the thigh inward or outward | Pivoting on one leg in netball; turning the hip during a golf swing |
Rotation only occurs at ball and socket joints (shoulder and hip) because the ball-shaped head of the bone can spin within the socket.
Exam Tip: Rotation does NOT occur at hinge joints (elbow, knee, ankle). If an exam question asks about rotation, it must be at the shoulder or hip.
Definition: Circumduction is a circular (cone-shaped) movement that combines flexion, extension, abduction, and adduction in sequence. The limb traces a cone shape in the air.
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