Which movement increases the angle at a joint?

The movement that increases the angle at a joint is known as extension. This motion is crucial in many exercises and functional movements performed by the body. When you extend a joint, such as straightening your arm at the elbow or your leg at the knee, the distance between the two bones that form the joint increases, thereby increasing the angle.

For example, while doing a leg press, the moment when the knees move from a bent position to a straightened position exemplifies extension. It's important to understand this concept because many fitness exercises involve both flexion and extension in various muscle groups, and recognizing these movements can help in creating effective training programs.

In contrast, flexion is the action of decreasing the angle at a joint, bringing the bones closer together. Abduction refers to a movement away from the midline of the body, while medial typically relates to the position closer to the midline rather than a specific movement. These other terms emphasize different aspects of motion around joints, but they do not define the increase in joint angle that is characteristic of extension.