What does the term ‘dorsiflexion’ refer to in a medical context?

Dorsiflexion refers specifically to the movement of the foot where the toes point upward towards the shin. This action is crucial for walking and maintaining balance, as it helps with the clearance of the foot during the swing phase of walking and allows the heel to touch the ground first during the stance phase. Understanding this term is important in a medical context, especially in fields related to physical therapy, rehabilitation, and orthopedics, where movement mechanics are crucial for treatment and assessment.

The other options describe different movements not related to dorsiflexion. Forward movement of the body pertains to general locomotion, backward bending of the wrist refers to wrist extension, and rotating the arm outward describes external rotation of the shoulder joint. Each of these movements has its own specific terminology and significance, clearly distinguishing them from dorsiflexion.