Which of the following terms describes the movement of bending in a specific direction away from the midline?

The term that describes the movement of bending in a specific direction away from the midline is lateral flexion. This movement is commonly observed in the spine and involves the lateral bending of the torso to one side. This is distinct from simply moving in a lateral direction, as lateral flexion specifically refers to the bending of the body around its axis in a way that deviates from the upright position towards the side.

In contrast, lateral refers generally to the side and does not encapsulate the bending aspect, while medial refers to movement towards the midline. The transverse plane relates to movements that involve rotation, rather than bending, thus it does not apply to this context of lateral flexion. Therefore, lateral flexion accurately describes the specific movement of bending away from the midline.