Abduction (physiology)

Abduction, Adduction and Circumduction in the Human Body ( English labeling )

In medicine , the term abduction (from Latin abducere , `` lead away '' ) is used to describe the splaying off z. B. an arm or a leg or a movement of a body part (z. B. thumb ) away from the center of the body or the limb axis. The opposite is adduction .

Accordingly, the muscles that enable these movements are also referred to as abductors or adductors .

On the hand, a distinction is made between ulnar abduction and radial abduction .

Movement examples

• One leg is spread apart.
• Toes are spread apart.
• The toe is moved away from the sagittal plane .
• One thumb is spread apart.

See also

• Abduction wedge