What is Abduction?

You’re helping Mr. Henderson with his morning exercises when you gently lift his arm out to the side so he can reach for his bedside table. That movement is called abduction, and it’s a fundamental motion you’ll use every day to keep your residents flexible and independent.

What is Abduction?

Abduction (ab-DUK-shun) is the movement of a limb or other body part away from the midline of the body. Imagine a line drawn right down the center of a resident from their head to their toes. If you move an arm or leg out to the side—away from that center line—you are performing abduction. It is one of the key components of Range of Motion (ROM) exercises you perform to maintain joint health.

Why Abduction Matters in Your Daily Care

Maintaining full abduction is crucial for preventing contractures, which are the shortening and hardening of muscles that can permanently limit movement. If a resident loses the ability to abduct their arm or leg, simple tasks like dressing, toileting, or even adjusting their position in bed become difficult or painful. By ensuring residents can move their limbs away from their bodies, you are directly supporting their ability to perform Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and maintaining their dignity.

What You’ll See During Your Shift

You will encounter abduction during ROM exercises, bathing, and dressing. For example, when helping a resident put on a shirt or jacket, you naturally move their arms away from their torso to guide the sleeves on. You might also use this movement when repositioning a patient to keep their hips aligned.

“Nurse, I was doing ROM with Mrs. Lopez today and noticed she has limited abduction in her left shoulder. I can only move her arm about 15 degrees away from her side before she reports pain, whereas her right side moves normally. It feels a little stiff.”

Common Pitfall & Pro Tip

⚠️ Pitfall: Forcing a limb past its natural range of motion during exercises. Pulling an arm or leg too far away from the body can cause serious injury to the shoulder or hip joint.

💡 Pro Tip: Stop the movement immediately if you feel resistance or if the resident expresses pain. Document the degree of movement you achieved (e.g., “able to abduct to 45 degrees”) rather than forcing it to the standard 90 degrees. This protects the resident and gives the therapy team accurate data.

Memory Aid for Abduction

Think: “A” is for Away.

You are moving the limb Away from the body’s center. The opposite is Adduction, which you can remember as “Adding it back” to the body.

State Test Connection

This term appears frequently in the Basic Nursing Skills and Personal Care Skills sections of the CNA exam. You may be asked to identify which motion is abduction in a diagram or describe how to perform a specific ROM exercise correctly.

Abduction is directly connected to Range of Motion (ROM) exercises and contracture prevention. It also pairs with adduction and flexion. Additionally, proper body mechanics for you often involve abduction—stepping out to the side with a wide base of support—so you don’t hurt your own back while lifting.

Quick Reference

✓ Key action: Moving a limb away from the body’s midline
✓ When to report: Pain, new resistance, or decreased range of motion
✓ Care reminders:

Support the joint during movement
Move slowly and smoothly
Stop at resistance or pain
Document range limits accurately

Keeping those joints moving smoothly prevents stiffness and keeps your residents doing the things they love.