Movements

Anatomical position

The standard reference position for the body, when standing erect with the head and toes facing anteriorly (forward).

Arms (upper limbs) hanging at the sides, palms facing anteriorly.

Legs (lower limbs) placed together, feet slightly apart and directected anteriorly.

The four anatomical description planes

Median plane (median sagittal / midsagittal plane)

Sagittal plane (parasagittal plane)

Frontal plane (coronal plane)

Transverse plane (cross sections / horizontal planes / axial plane)

Median plane (median sagittal / midsagittal plane)

A vertical plane that passes through the center of the body, dividing it into equal right and left halves.

Sagittal plane (parasagittal plane)

Vertical planes that are parallel to the median sagittal plane.

Divides body into unequal right and left halves.

Frontal plane (coronal plane)

Vertical planes that pass through the body and divide it into anterior (front) and posterior (back) sections.

Divides body into equal or unequal anterior and posterior parts.

Transverse plane (cross sections / horizontal planes / axial plane)

Planes that are at right angles to the sagittal and frontal planes and divide the body into superior (upper) and inferior (lower) sections.

Divides body into equal or unequal superior and inferior parts (cross sections or axial sections).

Superiormedial

Closer to the head and nearer to the median sagittal plane.This term describes a position that is both upward and toward the midline of the body.

Palm

(Palmar surface)

The palmar surface of the hand.

Sole

(Plantar surface)

The bottom of the foot while standing barefoot.

Paired right and left side structures are…

while those present on only one side of the body are…

Bilateral

Unilateral

(Example: gallbladder or spleen)

Ipsilateral

The same side of the body

(Example: the right thumb and the big toe)

Contralateral

the opposite side of the body

(Example: the right foot is contralateral to the left foot)

Anterior

(Ventral)

Nearer the front

Posterior

(Dorsal)

Nearer the back

Superior

(Cranial)

Upward or nearer the head

Inferior

(Caudal)

Downward or nearer the feet

Medial

Toward the midline or median plane

Lateral

Farther from the midline or median plane

Proximal

Near to a reference point

Distal

Away from a reference point

Superficial

Closer to the surface

Deep

Farther from the surface

Median plane

Divides body into equal right and left halves.

Body movements occur at…

The joints, the points of articulation between two or more adjacent skeletal elements.

Abduction (AB)

Movement away from a central reference point

Adduction (AD)

Movement toward a central reference point; (the opposite of abduction)

Lateral rotation (L)

Turning a bone or limb around its long axis laterally or away from the midline.

Medial rotation (M)

Turning medially toward the midline; (opposite of lateral rotation)

Flexion (F)

Usually a movement that decreases the joints angle

(Example: bending the elbow decreases the angle between the forearm and upper arm)

Extension (E)

Usually a movement that increases the angle between two body segments at a joint; (opposite of flexion)

(Example: straightening the arm at the elbow increases the angle between the forearm and upper arm)

Elevation (EL)

Lifting superiorly

(Example: shrugging the shoulders)

Depression (D)

A movement of a portion of the body inferiorly, often involving the lowering of a body part; (opposite of elevation)

(Example: in the movement of depressing the shoulders, the shoulders are lowered from a raised position to a relaxed position)

Flexion and Extension of the spine

Flexion decreases the angle between the vertebral bodies and extension increases this angle.

(When we bend forward we flex the spine, when we bend backwards to arch the back we are extending the spine)

Pronation (P)

Rotation of the radius about the ulna in the forearm, causing the parms to face posteriorly (in anatomical position) or inferiorly (if the hand is held forward with the palm upward)

Supination (S)

Causes the palms to face anteriorly or superiorly; (opposite of pronation)

Circumduction (C)

Movement in space that circumscribes a circle or cone about a joint.

Dorsiflexion (DF)

Lifting the foot at the ankle joint

(similar to extension at the wrist, but at the ankle it is referred to as dorsiflexion not extension)

Plantarflexion (PF)

A downward movement or depression of the foot at the ankle

(similar to wrist flexion)

Eversion (EV)

Movement of the sole of the foot laterally

Inversion (I)

Movement of the sole of the foot medially

Retraction (R)

Posterior displacement of a portion of the body

Protraction (PT)

Anterior displacement of a portion of the body without a change in angular movement