Which of the following describes how adduction and abduction are determined?

Adduction and abduction refer to movements that occur in the frontal plane relative to the midline of the body. Adduction is the movement towards the midline, while abduction is the movement away from the midline. The determination of these movements is fundamentally based on the ending posture of the distal segment (like an arm or a leg) after the movement occurs.

When you evaluate whether a limb is adducted or abducted, you can do so by observing where the limb ends up relative to the body’s midline. For example, if the arm moves out to the side away from the body and ends in a position further from the center, it is in an abducted position. Conversely, if the arm moves back toward the body and ends closer to the midline, it is considered adducted. Therefore, the ending posture provides the necessary context to classify the type of movement being analyzed.

The other options may reference aspects of movement or anatomy but do not directly define how to determine adduction and abduction. Size of the muscles involved may affect strength or endurance but not the classification of the movement. The angle of the elbow joint could be relevant in certain limb movements but does not directly define the midline orientation of the