What best defines plantar flexion of the foot?

• A. bending of the sole of the foot by curling the toes toward the ground; action of pointing foot toward ground; example: walking on toes; calf raises.
• B. bending of the toes upward toward the shin
• C. movement of the ankle toward the midline
• D. rotation of the foot at the ankle

Answer: (A)

Plantar flexion is the movement at the ankle that points the toes downward, as in standing on tiptoes or doing a calf raise. The sole moves away from the shin, powered by the muscles at the back of the leg (like the gastrocnemius and soleus) via the Achilles tendon. This is exactly what happens when you point your foot toward the ground. The other options describe different motions: bending the toes upward toward the shin is a toe or dorsiflexion movement, not plantar flexion; moving the ankle toward the midline is adduction/inversion, and rotating the foot at the ankle is a rotation rather than the downward-pointing action.