Anatomical Planes of Movement

Flexion

• Decreasing an angle at a joint

Extension

• Increasing angle at a joint

Abduction

• Movement away from the midline

Adduction

• Movement towards the midline

Internal rotation

Anterior side of segment rotates towards midline of body

External rotation

Anterior side of segment moves away from midline

Pronation

• Flip hand palm down

Supination

• Flip hand palm up

Elevation

• Movement in superior direction

Depression

• Movement in inferior direction

Dorsiflexion

• Flexion at the ankle so the foot point more superiorly

Plantarflexion

• Extension at the ankles so that the foot points inferiorly.

Inversion

Turning of the sole (of the foot, usually) towards the midline of the body, so that it faces in a medial direction

Eversion

Turning of the sole away from the midline, so that it faces in a lateral direction

Protraction

The anterior (forward) movement of a body part on a horizontal plane, such as moving the shoulder blades apart or pushing the jaw forward

Retraction def

The posteromedial (backward and toward the midline) movement of a body part, such as pulling the shoulders back or pulling the jaw posteriorly

Circumduction

A conical, circular movement of a limb or extremity where the proximal end remains fixed while the distal end moves in a circle. It combines flexion, extension, abduction, and adduction in a smooth sequence, commonly performed at the shoulder, hip, wrist, and finger joints