ACTION DICTIONARY

• Abduction - Movement away from the midline of the body
• Adduction - Movement toward the midline of the body
• Anatomical Position - The body is in an erect or standing posture with the arms at the
  sides and the palms, head and feet point forward
• Anterior or Ventral - Nearer to or at the front portion of the body
• Anterior Rotation - Rolling the hip forward
• Bi Lateral Flexion or Lateral Flexion or Side Bending - Movement in which the angle
  between two bones is decreased sideways
• Centrifugal - A movement away from the center of the body. This term is applied to
  movements made from the heart, or in the direction of the arterial blood current
• Centripetal - A movement toward the center of the body. In relation to massage, the term
  is applied to movements made in the direction of the blood current in the veins
• Circular motion - When an object moves along a circumference of a circle
• Circumduction - Movement of a joint in a circle
• Compression - To press or squeeze a specific area to reduce in size or volume
• Curvilinear motion - The moving body moves toward the same direction although the
  path is a curved line
• Deep - Away from the surface of the body
  Depression - Moving a body part inferiorly
• Distal - Further away from the point of origin
• Dorsi Flexion - Moving the dorsum (top of the foot) of the foot upward
• Dorsum - The back; the back surface of any part
• Elevation - Moving of a body part superiorly
• Eversion - Movement of the sole of the foot laterally at the ankle joint
• Exception - Finger or toe movements
• Excursion - Moving the jaw from side to side
• Extension - Movement in which the angle between two bones is increased
• External - Located closer to the surface of the body
• Flexion - Movement in which the angle between two bones is decreased
• Horizontal Adduction - Movement of the arm across the chest
• Horizontal Abduction - Movement of the arm away from the chest
  Hyperactive Extension - When a portion of the body is extended beyond the anatomical
  position so that the joint angle is greater that 180°
• Inferior - Away from the head or lower part of a structure
• Insertion - Point of attachment for a muscle on a bone
• Internal - Located away from the surface of the body
• Inversion - Movement of the sole of the foot medially at the ankle joint
• Isometric Contraction - Muscular contraction in which tension is developed but no
  mechanical work is done. There is no appreciable joint movement and the overall
  length of the muscle stays the same.
• Isotonic Contraction - A concentric or eccentric muscular contraction that results in
  movement of a joint or body part, as in lifting a weight.
• Lateral - Away from the midline of the body
• Lateral Rotation or External Rotation - The anterior surface of the distal segment
  moves outwards
• Linear motion or Rectilinear - All parts of the moving body move in the same direction
  as every other part of the body and the path follows a straight line
• Medial - Toward the midline of the body.
• Medial Rotation or Internal Rotation - The anterior surface of the distal segment moves
  inwards
• Opposition - Movement of the thumb touching a finger on the same hand
• Origin - Origination of a muscle on a bone
• Planter Flexion - Moving the bottom of the foot to the floor
• Posterior or Dorsal - Nearer to or at the back of the body
• Posterior Rotation - Rolling the hip back
• Pronation - Movement of the forearm in which the palm is turned posteriorly
• Prone - Means to lie face down
• Protraction - Movement forward in a plane parallel to the ground
• Protrusion - Moving anteriorly (eg: chin out)
• Proximal - Closer to the point of origin
• Radial Deviation or Wrist Abduction - Abduction of the wrist away from the midline
• Retraction - Movement backward in a plane parallel to the ground
• Retrusion - Moving posteriorly (eg: chin in)
• Rotary motion or Angular motion or Rotation - The object acts as a radius and all parts
  of the moving object rotate in the same angular direction and follow a circular path about
  a pivot point
• Rotation - Relates to the movement of a bone around its long axis
• Supination - Movement of the forearm in which the palm is turned anteriorly
• Superficial - Near the surface of the body
• Superior - Toward the head or upper part of a structure
• Supine - Means lying on your back
• Traction - To pull a specific area to increase in size or volume
• Translatory motion or Linear motion or Translation - All parts of the moving body move
  toward the same direction
• Ulnar Deviation or Wrist Adduction - Adduction of the wrist toward the midline
• Valgus - Angulation outward and away from the midline of the body
• Varus - Angulation inward and toward the midline of the body