Which movement moves a limb away from the midline?

• A. Inversion
• B. Pronation
• C. Extension
• D. Abduction

Answer: (D)

Abduction is the movement that takes a limb away from the body's midline. Think of lifting an arm out to the side or spreading the fingers apart—the limb is moving away from the central axis of the body. Inversion, on the other hand, is turning the sole of the foot inward toward the midline, which is a rotation of the foot, not a lateral move. Pronation involves rotating the forearm so the palm faces down (or the foot rolls inward), again not about moving away from the midline. Extension means straightening a joint to increase its angle, such as straightening the elbow, rather than moving a limb away from the body's midline.