WJEC General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) PE Practice Test

Think about what happens to the foot when you point your toes toward the ground. That downward-pointing movement at the ankle is plantar flexion. It’s the action you use when you rise onto your tiptoes or push off the gas pedal. The opposite action is dorsiflexion, where the toes move upward toward the shin. Flexion and extension are general terms for bending or straightening a joint, but the specific downward-pointing movement at the ankle is plantar flexion, which is why it’s the correct description.