Movements at Joints

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.

---

Overview of Movements

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

---

1. Flexion

Definition: Flexion is the decrease in the angle at a joint. It involves bending the joint and bringing the bones closer together.

Where Flexion Occurs

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.

---

2. Extension

Definition: Extension is the increase in the angle at a joint. It involves straightening the joint and moving the bones apart.

Where Extension Occurs

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.

---

3. Abduction

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.

Where Abduction Occurs

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."

---

4. Adduction

Definition: Adduction is the movement of a limb towards the midline of the body. It is the opposite of abduction.

Where Adduction Occurs

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."

---

5. Rotation

Definition: Rotation is the turning of a bone around its long axis — like turning a key in a lock or twisting a doorknob.

Where Rotation Occurs

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.

---

6. Circumduction

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.

Where Circumduction Occurs