Which shoulder movement is defined as moving the arm away from the body?

The movement of moving the arm away from the body is known as abduction. This term describes the action where a limb or body part is moved laterally, which means it is being drawn away from the midline of the body. In the context of shoulder movement, when you raise your arm to the side until it is parallel to the ground, that action is classified as abduction.

Understanding the other terms can help clarify why abduction is the correct choice. Adduction is the opposite movement, where a limb is brought closer to the midline of the body. Flexion refers to decreasing the angle between two body parts, such as raising your arm forward, while extension involves increasing that angle, like lowering your arm back down. Recognizing these definitions helps solidify why abduction specifically describes the movement of the arm away from the body.