PATHFIT1: 2.1 - Anatomical and Physiological Bases of Human Movement

Midsagittal Plane

This body plane refers to the midline through the center of the body. It divides the body into left and right sides.

Transverse plane

This body plane refers to the horizontal plane that runs through the center of the body and is parallel to the ground. It divides the body into superior and inferior portions.

Coronal plane

This body plane divides the body into anterior/ventral and posterior/dorsal portions.

Anterior

This anatomical direction is at or near the front of the body (front view).

Posterior

This anatomical direction is at or near the back of the body (back view).

Lateral

This anatomical direction is farther from the midline (side view).

Medial

This anatomical direction is nearer to the midline (side view).

Superior

This anatomical direction is toward the head/upper part of a structure.

Inferior

This anatomical direction is away from the head/lower part of a structure.

Proximal

This anatomical direction is closer to the point of attachment with the torso (closer to the shoulder or hip).

Distal

This anatomical direction is farther from the origination of a structure.

Anatomical Position

This refers to the description of any region or part of the body in a specific stance.

The body is upright & directly facing the observer, the feet are flat & directed forward, the upper limbs are at the body’s sides with the palms facing forward.

What is the standard anatomical position?

Axis (Anatomical Reference Axes)

This refers to a straight line around which an object rotates.

Frontal axis (X-axis)

This axis passes horizontally from left to right and formed by the intersection of the frontal and transverse planes.

Vertical axis (Y-axis)

This axis passes vertically from inferior to superior and formed by the intersection of the sagittal and frontal planes.

Sagittal axis (Z-axis)

This axis passes horizontally from posterior to anterior and is formed by the intersection of the sagittal and transverse planes.

Synovial joints

These joints allow the body a tremendous range of movements and each movement results from the contraction or relaxation of the muscles that are attached to the bones on either side of the articulation.

Flexion (WIP)

A body moment that takes place within the sagittal plane and involve anterior or posterior movement of the body of limbs. In the limbs, this means the angle between the bones decreases.

Extension (WIP)

wip

Lateral flexion

A body movement that refers to the bending of the neck or body toward the right or left side.

Hyperextension

A body movement that refers to the abnormal or excessive extension of a joint beyond its normal range of motion, thus resulting in injury.

Hyperflexion

A body movement that refers to the abnormal or excessive flexion of a joint beyond its normal range of motion, thus resulting in injury.

Abduction

A body movement that refers to motions that occur within the coronal plane and involve medial-lateral motions of the limbs, fingers, toes, or thumb. This moves the limb laterally away from the midline of the body.

Adduction

A body movement that refers to motions that occur within the coronal plane and involve medial-lateral motions of the limbs, fingers, toes, or thumb. This moves brings the limb toward the body or across the midline.

Circumduction

A body movement that refers to the movement of a body region in a circular manner, in which one end of the body region being moved stays relatively stationary while the other end describes a circle. It involves the sequential combination of flexion, adduction, extension, and abduction at a joint.

Biaxial condyloid, saddle joints, and multiaxial ball-and-sockets joints

Which joints are involved during circumduction motion?

Rotation

This body movement refers to the twisting movement produced by the summation of the small rotational movements available between adjacent vertebrae.

Pronation

This body movement refers to the motion that moves the forearm from the supinated (anatomical) position to the pronated (palm backward) position.

Supination

This body movement refers to the motion in which rotation of the radius returns the bones to their parallel positions and moves the palm to the anterior facing (supinated) position.

Dorsiflexion

The body movement that occurs at the ankle joint. Lifting the front of the foot, so that the top of the foot moves toward the anterior leg.

Plantar Flexion

The body movement that occurs at the ankle joint. Lifting the heel of the foot from the ground or pointing the toes downward.

Inversion

A body movement that refers to the turning of the foot to angle the bottom of the foot toward the midline.

Eversion

A body movement that turns the bottom of the foot away from the midline.

Protraction

A body movement that occurs when the shoulder is moved forward, as when pushing against something or throwing a ball. It also occurs when the lower jaw is pushed forward, to stick out the chin.

Retraction

A body movement that occurs when the scapula being pulled posteriorly and medially, toward the vertebral column. It also occurs when the lower jaw is pulled backwards.

Depression

A body movement that refers to the downward movement of the scapula and shoulder.

Elevation

A body movement that refers to the upward movement of the scapula and shoulder.

Excursion

A body movement that refers to side-to-side movement of the mandible.

Medial excursion

This type of excursion refers to the movement where the mandible returns to its resting position in the midline.

Lateral excursion

This type of excursion refers to the movement where the mandible moves away from the midline, toward either the right or left side.

Superior rotation

A body movement occurs when the glenoid cavity moves upward as the medial end of the scapular spine moves downward.

Inferior rotation

A body movement that occurs during limb adduction and involves the downward motion of the glenoid cavity with upward  movement of the medial end of the scapular spine. 

Opposition

A body movement is the thumb movement that brings the tip of the thumb in contact with the tip of a finger.

Reposition

A body movement that refers to the thumb returning to its anatomical position next to the index finger.