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Mat Pilates Exam Study Guide
Flexion - answer✔closing of a joint
extension - answer✔opening a joint
Abduction - answer✔moving away from the midline
adduction - answer✔moving toward the midline
medial/internal rotation - answer✔rotating toward the midline
lateral/external rotation - answer✔rotating away from the midline
circumduction - answer✔specific to shoulders and hips: a cone shaped movement
lateral flexion - answer✔specific to axial skeleton, when head an d spinal column bend from side
to side
supination - answer✔pivoting action of the forearm to turn hand palm up, also refers to foot
position
pronation - answer✔pivoting action of the forearm to turn hand palm down, also refers to foot
position
opposition - answer✔specific to the thumb crossing toward the little finger
inversion - answer✔specific to the feet, elevating medial side of the foot to expose sole
(turning sole of foot inward)
eversion - answer✔specific to feet, elevating lateral side of the foot to expose the sole
(turning sole of foot outward)
plantar flexion - answer✔specific to the ankle, pushing the top of the foot down or away
dorsifelxion - answer✔specific to the ankle, pulling the top of the foot up
protraction - answer✔movement of a structure toward the front - think scapula pushing forward
retraction - answer✔movement of a structure toward the back - think scapula moving back
(standing up straight)
elevation - answer✔movement of a structure up or superiorly
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depression - answer✔movement of a structure down or inferiorly
deviation - answer✔specific to the jaw, occurs when chewing and sometimes talking
nutation - answer✔specific to sacrum and describes movement upward during anterior pelvic tilt
(pushing butt out)
counter nutation - answer✔specific to sacrum and describes the movement downward during
posterior pelvic tilt (butt comes in)
coronal plane - answer✔Divides body front/back
any movements side to side from the midline out
Direction of movement: abduction and adduction
example: side kicks up/dowon
sagittal plane - answer✔vertical division of body (left/right)
any movement from back to front from the midline out
direction of movement: extension and flexion
example: roll up
transverse plane - answer✔horizontal division of the body into upper and lower portions
any movement around the body left and right across the midline of the body
Direction of movement: rotation
example: criss cross
SHOULDER (Humerus) - how does it move? - answer✔• Flexion•
Extension•
Circumduction•
Adduction•
Abduction•
External (lateral) Rotation • Internal (medial) Rotation
SHOULDER (Scapula) - how does it move - answer✔• Elevation•
Depression •
Retraction •
Protraction
Mat Pilates Exam Study Guide
Flexion - answer✔closing of a joint
extension - answer✔opening a joint
Abduction - answer✔moving away from the midline
adduction - answer✔moving toward the midline
medial/internal rotation - answer✔rotating toward the midline
lateral/external rotation - answer✔rotating away from the midline
circumduction - answer✔specific to shoulders and hips: a cone shaped movement
lateral flexion - answer✔specific to axial skeleton, when head an d spinal column bend from side
to side
supination - answer✔pivoting action of the forearm to turn hand palm up, also refers to foot
position
pronation - answer✔pivoting action of the forearm to turn hand palm down, also refers to foot
position
opposition - answer✔specific to the thumb crossing toward the little finger
inversion - answer✔specific to the feet, elevating medial side of the foot to expose sole
(turning sole of foot inward)
eversion - answer✔specific to feet, elevating lateral side of the foot to expose the sole
(turning sole of foot outward)
plantar flexion - answer✔specific to the ankle, pushing the top of the foot down or away
dorsifelxion - answer✔specific to the ankle, pulling the top of the foot up
protraction - answer✔movement of a structure toward the front - think scapula pushing forward
retraction - answer✔movement of a structure toward the back - think scapula moving back
(standing up straight)
elevation - answer✔movement of a structure up or superiorly
, ©BRAINBARTER 2024/2025
depression - answer✔movement of a structure down or inferiorly
deviation - answer✔specific to the jaw, occurs when chewing and sometimes talking
nutation - answer✔specific to sacrum and describes movement upward during anterior pelvic tilt
(pushing butt out)
counter nutation - answer✔specific to sacrum and describes the movement downward during
posterior pelvic tilt (butt comes in)
coronal plane - answer✔Divides body front/back
any movements side to side from the midline out
Direction of movement: abduction and adduction
example: side kicks up/dowon
sagittal plane - answer✔vertical division of body (left/right)
any movement from back to front from the midline out
direction of movement: extension and flexion
example: roll up
transverse plane - answer✔horizontal division of the body into upper and lower portions
any movement around the body left and right across the midline of the body
Direction of movement: rotation
example: criss cross
SHOULDER (Humerus) - how does it move? - answer✔• Flexion•
Extension•
Circumduction•
Adduction•
Abduction•
External (lateral) Rotation • Internal (medial) Rotation
SHOULDER (Scapula) - how does it move - answer✔• Elevation•
Depression •
Retraction •
Protraction
