In anatomy, what does the joint movement term protraction mean?

• A. Anterior movement of a body part in a transverse (horizontal) plane, such as moving the mandible forward
• B. Movement of a limb away from the midline of the body
• C. Movement that decreases the angle between two bones at a joint (bending)
• D. Posterior movement of a body part in a transverse (horizontal) plane, such as pulling the mandible backward

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand that joint movement terms describe how body parts move relative to anatomical planes and directions.
2. Step 2: Recognize that 'protraction' specifically refers to the movement of a body part forward along the transverse (horizontal) plane.
3. Step 3: Identify common examples of protraction, such as moving the mandible (lower jaw) forward or pushing the scapulae (shoulder blades) away from the spine.
4. Step 4: Differentiate protraction from other movements: retraction (moving backward), abduction (movement away from the midline), and flexion (decreasing the angle between bones).
5. Step 5: Conclude that protraction is the anterior (forward) movement of a body part in the horizontal plane, which matches the description of moving the mandible forward.