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The Daily Insight

What is shoulder horizontal flexion

Author

Andrew Vasquez

Updated on April 30, 2026

Horizontal flexion: this only happens at the shoulder joint and occurs in the transverse plane. When an arm is held out to the side parallel to the floor and then pulled across the chest, that would be horizontal flexion. … Returning the arm out to the side keeping it parallel to the floor would be horizontal extension.

What is horizontal flexion?

Horizontal flexion: Refers to movement where the angle between two bones decreases and on the horizontal plane.

What is horizontal shoulder adduction?

• Horizontal adduction. (transverse flexion) – movement of humerus in a. horizontal or transverse. plane toward & across chest.

What muscles cause shoulder horizontal flexion?

The pectoralis major has the largest horizontal flexion moment arm with the humerus elevated 90 degrees, whereas the posterior deltoid and infraspinatus have the largest horizontal extension moment arms in this plane.

What is horizontal shoulder abduction?

Reach forward to place your hands directly in front of you at shoulder height. … Keep your palms down. Reach out to the sides of your body with both hands at the same time. Hold for a count of three to five seconds and repeat 10 times.

What is horizontal flexion and horizontal extension?

Horizontal flexion occurs when the arm is pulled across the chest when it is parallel to the floor. Horizontal extension occurs when the arm is returned from the above position out to the side.

Where does horizontal flexion occur?

Horizontal flexion: this only happens at the shoulder joint and occurs in the transverse plane. When an arm is held out to the side parallel to the floor and then pulled across the chest, that would be horizontal flexion.

What muscles do shoulder horizontal abduction?

  • Posterior Deltoid.
  • Middle Trapezius.
  • Lower Trapezius.
  • Infraspinatus.
  • Middle Deltoid.
  • Supraspinatus.
  • Teres Minor.
  • Rhomboid Major.

Is horizontal flexion the same as horizontal adduction?

Internal (medial) Rotation – Movement of the anterior side of a segment toward the mid-line of the body. Horizontal Adduction (flexion) – Horizontal motion that results in movement toward the midline. Horizontal Abduction (extension) – Horizontal motion that results in movement away from the midline.

What muscle causes horizontal abduction at the shoulder?

The supraspinatus muscle originates from the supraspinous fossa of the scapula, passes under the acromion, and inserts on the superior facet of the greater tubercle of the humerus. It is responsible for the initiation of arm abduction and is in control of the motion up to the first 15 degrees of abduction.

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What muscles cause shoulder horizontal adduction?

  • Anterior Deltoid.
  • Pectoralis Major.

What axis is horizontal adduction?

There are three reference axes in each plane that are used to describe motion: frontal, sagittal, and vertical: Flexion / extension: Movement occuring in a sagittal plane across a horizontal axis. Abduction / adduction: Movement occuring in a frontal plane across a sagittal axis.

What is the difference between horizontal adduction and abduction?

Horizontal abduction (arm behind torso; C) occurs early in the throwing motion, whereas horizontal adduction (arm in front of torso) occurs from the end of late cocking and beyond.

What plane of movement is horizontal flexion?

The third plane of motion bisects the body into top and bottom halves and is called the transverse plane (AKA the horizontal plane).

What is an example of horizontal abduction?

Horizonal abduction is the movement of the arms from horizontally across the body. Starting from a position where the arms are straight to the front (shoulders flexed at 90 degrees), moving in the transverse plane to end in a position where the arms are straight out to the side (flexed at 90 degrees).

What is dorsiflexion and plantar flexion?

The term plantar flexion refers to the movement of the foot in a downward motion away from the body. … It also enables the opposite movement, dorsiflexion, which is the movement of the foot toward the leg. Your ankle joint supplies the power for 40% to 70% of your forward movement during walking.

What is a shoulder extension?

Shoulder extension, on the other hand, refers to the position you make when you move your arm and stick them out on your back. The muscles affected by these movements are the coracobrachialis, pectoralis major, and the anterior deltoid.

What is plantar flexion in PE?

Plantar flexion – pointing the toes – this movement only occurs at the ankle, for example, pointing the toes in ballet. Dorsiflexion – the foot moves towards the shin as if you are pulling your toes up. This movement only occurs at the ankle.

What are examples of flexion?

Flexion – bending a joint. This occurs when the angle of a joint decreases. For example, the elbow flexes when performing a biceps curl. The knee flexes in preparation for kicking a ball.

What is the difference between adduction and horizontal adduction?

How does “horizontal adduction” differ from just “adduction”? “Horizontal Adduction” is adduction (bone moving closer to midline) in the horizontal plane. … “Adduction” is a bone moving closer to the midline in the frontal plane.

What is the prime mover of shoulder flexion?

Muscles that have their origins in the anterior (front of) shoulder joint tend to flex the arm (pectoralis major, coracobrachialis and anterior fibres of the deltoid). Pectoralis major is the muscle which acts as prime mover in shoulder flexion. The biceps brachii assist this movement.

What is the shoulder joint called?

The glenohumeral joint is the one most people think of as the shoulder joint. It is formed where a ball (head) at the top of the humerus fits into a shallow cuplike socket (glenoid) in the scapula, allowing a wide range of movement.

How do you do shoulder rotation?

Slowly rotate your arm outward, but keep your elbow bent. Stop when you feel a stretch. Hold this position for 30 seconds or as directed. Slowly return to the starting position.

What are the internal rotators of the shoulder?

The rotator cuff is composed of four muscles: the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis (Figure 1b). The subscapularis facilitates internal rotation, and the infraspinatus and teres minor muscles assist in external rotation.

What muscles do horizontal flexion?

If you were doing a forehand stroke with your racket in tennis, you would be doing horizontal flexion (also called horizontal adduction) and medial rotation at the shoulder. The muscles involved would include: pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, teres major, subscapularis, and deltoid (anterior fibers).

What is shoulder abduction?

Shoulder abduction When you raise your arm out from the sides of your body, it’s an abduction of your shoulder. A normal range for abduction, starting with your palms at your sides, is around 150 degrees in a healthy shoulder. This places your hands above your head with your arms straight.

Why is shoulder internal rotation important?

In the shoulder, it allows you to reach behind your back and pull your wallet from your back pocket or tie your bikini behind your back. More importantly for athletes, it allows you to keep the bar close to the body during Olympic movements and arrive at the bottom of a ring dip safely.

Which of the following is muscles perform GH horizontal abduction?

Action of the ShoulderWhat the Action Looks Like (Try It Yourself!)Primary MusclesHorizontal abductionFor the start postion, lift your arms in front of you. The action occurs as you then move your arms out to the side.Latissimus dorsi and posterior fibers of deltoid

What muscles does horizontal adduction?

The muscles that horizontally abduct your upper arm are your posterior deltoid, infraspinatus and teres minor. The muscles that horizontally adduct your upper arm are your middle deltoid, coracobrachilis, pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi.

What are the shoulder adductors?

Adduction is accomplished primarily by the pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, teres major, triceps, and coracobrachialis. The deltoid and the supraspinatus, a muscle that runs along the scapula in the back, are the two main abductors of the shoulder.

How do I strengthen my shoulder adductors?

Shoulder adduction: Lie on your back on a firm surface. Extend your arm out to a “T.” Bend your elbow so your forearm in the air. Hold a weight in your hand. Slowly raise your arm toward the ceiling and straighten your elbow.