Dorsiflexion occurs in which joint?

Dorsiflexion refers to the movement of the foot where the toes are brought closer to the shin, effectively decreasing the angle between the dorsum (top) of the foot and the leg. This movement primarily occurs at the ankle joint. During dorsiflexion, the tibialis anterior muscle and other muscles in the anterior compartment of the leg are activated to pull the foot upward.

Understanding the mechanics of dorsiflexion helps to clarify that it is not associated with movements at the knee joint, wrist joint, or shoulder joint, as those joints are primarily responsible for other types of movements. The knee joint primarily allows flexion and extension of the leg, the wrist joint mainly facilitates movements such as flexion, extension, and rotation of the hand, and the shoulder joint is involved in a wide range of arm movements, including flexion, extension, abduction, and rotation.

Thus, recognizing that the ankle joint specifically allows for dorsiflexion is key to understanding its role in human biomechanics.