Adduction (or A-D-duction) is the bringing of bodily parts toward the midline of the body. When the arms are at your side and/or your legs together, they are said to be adducted. While at university and studying anatomy, I used to think of A-D-duction as adding my limbs to my body as they were brought toward the center and the word Add is in the term itself.
This term can apply to a single as well as multiple of body parts. You can adduct one limb, two, three or all four. You can also partially adduct a body part. The term applies to the movement rather than the position.
You may hear a health care professional use this term when treating your care recipient or when explaining the treatment to the family or caregiver. Knowing it will help you better understand what is going on and also allow for better communication.
Clinicians may also refer to muscles as Adductors. They simply mean the muscles that move the limb or body part toward the midline of the body.
Adduction is the opposite of Abduction.