If you were to abduct the shoulder to 90-degrees and bend your elbow, what is this movement considered?

When you abduct the shoulder to 90 degrees, you are moving the arm away from the body in the lateral direction until it reaches a horizontal position. This action is known as shoulder abduction. Furthermore, bending the elbow while the shoulder is in this abducted position engages the muscles responsible for elbow flexion.

The term abduction specifically refers to the movement of a limb away from the midline of the body or from an adjacent body part. Therefore, the correct answer reflects that you are indeed performing shoulder abduction in this scenario.

By focusing on the movement mechanics, it’s clear that the movement being described is not an extension or adduction of the shoulder, since neither would involve moving the arm away from the body in the manner described. Flexion of the shoulder would refer to raising the arm forward and upward from a neutral position, which is not what occurs when you first abduct the shoulder. Thus, recognizing the precise definitions of these movements is essential in determining the correct answer.