Sports Medicine Medical Terms

Body Planes

Body Planes

Divisions of the body used to describe locations and movements.

Frontal Plane

Divides the body into front and back.

Transverse Plane

Divides the body into upper and lower portions.

Sagittal Plane

Divides the body into left and right halves.

Flexion

Movement that decreases the angle of a joint.

Extension

Movement that increases the angle of a joint.

Abduction

Movement away from the midline of the body.

Adduction

Movement toward the midline of the body.

Horizontal Abduction

Movement of the shoulder joint away from the midline with the arm at 90 degrees.

Horizontal Adduction

Movement of the shoulder joint toward the midline with the arm at 90 degrees.

Circumduction

Movement of a limb in a circular pattern.

External (Lateral) Rotation

Rotation of a limb away from the midline.

Internal (Medial) Rotation

Rotation of a limb toward the midline.

Depression

Movement of a body part downward in a frontal plane.

Elevation

Movement of a body part upward in a frontal plane.

Retraction

Movement of scapulas pulled together.

Protraction

Movement of a body part forward in a transverse plane.

Pronation

Rotation of the forearm so the palm faces backward.

Supination

Rotation of the forearm so the palm faces upward.

Ulnar Deviation

Wrist movement towards the ulna.

Radial Deviation

Wrist movement towards the radius.

Dorsiflexion

Movement of the foot toward the body (ankle motion).

Plantar Flexion

Movement of the ankle that involves pointing the foot downwards.

Inversion

Movement that turns the sole of the foot inward, toward the midline of the body.

Eversion

Movement that turns the sole of the foot outward.

Lateral Flexion

Side bending of the trunk in the frontal plane.

Thumb Opposition

Movement of the thumb to touch each finger.

Anatomical Position

Positioning of the body when it is upright, arms hanging and palms forward.

Posterior (Dorsal)

Nearer to the back, on the back of the body.

Anterior (Ventral)

Nearer to the front, on the front of the body.

Inferior

Below; away from the head (caudal).

Superior

Above; closer to the head (cranial).

Deep

Away from the surface.

Superficial

Closer to the surface.

Medial

Toward the midline of the body.

Lateral

Away from the midline of the body.

Supine

Lying flat with the face upward.

Prone

Lying flat with the face downward.

Proximal

Nearest to the point of attachment or origin.

Distal

Furthest away from the point of attachment or origin.

Palmar

The palm, front of the hand.

Plantar

The sole of the foot.

Vertical

Going from up to down