Which term describes circular movement of a limb?

• A. Rotation
• B. Circumduction
• C. Flexion
• D. Adduction

Answer: (B)

Circumduction is a circular movement of the limb, produced by a sequence of actions at a joint that combine flexion, extension, abduction, and adduction to make the distal end trace a circle or cone in space. This is most clear at shoulder or hip joints, where the limb can sweep the hand or foot around in a circular path. Rotation involves turning around the limb’s long axis (like forearm rotation or head turning) and doesn’t create a circular path of the distal end. Flexion and extension change joint angle in a single plane, and adduction moves toward the midline without producing a circle. So circumduction best describes the circular movement.