Movements at Joints

This lesson covers the types of movement at joints required by the OCR GCSE PE specification (J587). You need to know six types of movement: flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, rotation, and circumduction. You must be able to define each one, identify which joints allow each movement, and link them to specific sporting examples.

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The Six Movements

The OCR specification requires you to know the following movements:

graph TD
    A["Movements at Joints"] --> B["Flexion"]
    A --> C["Extension"]
    A --> D["Abduction"]
    A --> E["Adduction"]
    A --> F["Rotation"]
    A --> G["Circumduction"]

    style A fill:#4a90d9,color:#fff
    style B fill:#e67e22,color:#fff
    style C fill:#e67e22,color:#fff
    style D fill:#e67e22,color:#fff
    style E fill:#e67e22,color:#fff
    style F fill:#e67e22,color:#fff
    style G fill:#e67e22,color:#fff

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1. Flexion

Flexion is the decrease in the angle at a joint. It is a bending movement that brings two body parts closer together.

Feature	Detail
Definition	Decrease in the angle at a joint
Simple description	Bending
Joints	Shoulder, elbow, hip, knee

Sporting Examples

• Bicep curl — flexion at the elbow when lifting the weight upwards (the angle between the humerus and radius/ulna decreases).
• Kicking a football (preparation) — flexion at the knee as the lower leg draws back before the kick.
• Performing a tuck in trampolining — flexion at the hip and knee as the body folds inward.
• Receiving a pass in basketball — flexion at the elbow as the arms bend to cushion the ball.

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2. Extension

Extension is the increase in the angle at a joint. It is a straightening movement that moves two body parts away from each other.

Feature	Detail
Definition	Increase in the angle at a joint
Simple description	Straightening
Joints	Shoulder, elbow, hip, knee

Sporting Examples

• Kicking a football (striking phase) — extension at the knee as the lower leg swings forward to strike the ball.
• Performing a push-up (upward phase) — extension at the elbow as the arms straighten.
• Jumping (take-off) — extension at the knee and hip as the legs straighten to push the body upward.
• Bowling in cricket (follow-through) — extension at the elbow as the arm straightens on release.

Exam Tip: Flexion and extension always occur together as opposite movements. If a question asks about a kicking action, describe flexion during the backswing (preparation) and extension during the forward swing (execution). This shows you understand the full movement pattern.

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3. Abduction

Abduction is the movement of a limb away from the midline of the body.

Feature	Detail
Definition	Movement away from the midline of the body
Simple description	Moving a limb outward / sideways
Joints	Shoulder, hip (ball-and-socket joints only)

Sporting Examples

• Star jump — abduction at the shoulder (arms moving outward) and hip (legs moving outward) simultaneously.
• Goalkeeping save — abduction at the shoulder as the arms reach out to the side to save a shot.
• Performing a cartwheel — abduction at the hip and shoulder as the limbs move outward.
• Side-stepping in basketball — abduction at the hip as the leg moves sideways.

Exam Tip: To remember abduction, think "ab" = away from the body. Abduction moves the limb away from the midline.

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4. Adduction

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

Feature	Detail
Definition	Movement towards the midline of the body
Simple description	Moving a limb inward / back to the side
Joints	Shoulder, hip (ball-and-socket joints only)

Sporting Examples

• Completing a star jump (landing) — adduction at the shoulder and hip as the arms and legs return to the side of the body.
• Swimming breaststroke (pull phase) — adduction at the shoulder as the arms pull inward through the water.
• Crossing a football — adduction at the hip as the kicking leg sweeps across the body.
• Returning to standing from the splits — adduction at the hip as the legs move back together.

Exam Tip: To remember adduction, think "add" — you are adding the limb back to the body. Adduction moves the limb towards the midline.

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5. Rotation