Circumduction

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Circumduction is a motion that is a “rounded-out circle” created from a sequence of four joint actions.

Circumduction of the cervical spine. Here we see the sequence of joint actions that comprise circumduction: left lateral flexion, flexion, right lateral flexion, and extension. Note: Superior views are seen. Permission Dr. Joe Muscolino (www.learnmuscles.com).

• Circumduction is NOT a joint action.
• Rather, it is a series of joints actions, each one preformed sequentially after the joint action before it.
• In the top figure above, we see performed the following joint actions of the neck at the cervical spinal joints:

1. 1. left lateral flexion
   2. flexion
   3. right lateral flexion
   4. extension

• These joint actions create a square motion pattern.
• In the bottom figure, we see the square “rounded out” to be a circle.
• But it is still a sequence of the joint actions listed above.

Note: Circumduction does NOT involve rotation; there is NO rotation as a part of a circumduction motion pattern. It is a circular pattern of frontal-plane and sagittal-plane joint actions.