What is the movement called when a limb moves away from the midline of the body?

The term used when a limb moves away from the midline of the body is known as abduction. This movement involves increasing the angle between the limb and the central axis of the body. For example, when you raise your arms sideways away from your body, you are performing abduction of the arms.

In contrast, flexion refers to decreasing the angle between two body parts, such as bending the elbow or knee. Adduction is the opposite of abduction; it describes the movement of a limb towards the midline. Circumduction is a circular movement that combines flexion, extension, abduction, and adduction but does not specifically describe the movement away from the midline. Understanding these terms is essential for grasping basic movement mechanics in anatomy and physiology.