What is the term for raising a part of the body?

• A. Elevation
• B. Extension
• C. Flexion
• D. Abduction

Answer: (C)

Raising a part of the body is called elevation. Elevation means moving a part upward toward a higher position, like lifting the shoulders during a shrug or closing the jaw. Flexion, by contrast, is bending a joint to decrease the angle between two bones, such as bending the elbow toward the shoulder. Extension is straightening or increasing that angle, the opposite of flexion. Abduction is moving a limb away from the midline, which can involve lifting it to the side but isn’t simply described as raising. So for the act of lifting a body part upward, elevation is the precise term.