`Anatomical position, planes, and movement

anatomical position

standing, facing forward, arms to sides with palms forward, fingers extended, thumbs away, feet separated, toes pointed forward: a standard reference for anatomical descriptions and movements.

superior

toward the head: towards upper part of the body

inferior

away from the head: towards lower part of body

anterior

toward or at the front of the body

posterior

towards or at the back of the body

medial

towards or close to the midline of the body

lateral

away from of farther from the midline of the body

proximal

closer to the point of attachment or organ of a limb to the trunk

distal

farther from the trunk or the point where the limb attaches

intermediate

between a more medial and a more lateral structure

superficial

closer to the surface of the body

deep

farther away from the surface of the body

to articulate

to form a joint

axial

protect bodies important structures (center)

appendicular

movement (limbs)

synovial joint

where

sagittal axis

from to back: cuts you in half vertically

frontal axis

left to right: cuts in half horizontally

longitudinal axis

top to bottom: moving up and down

flexion

closing of the joint angle around the frontal axis at the joint

extension

opening of the joint angle around the frontal axis at the joint

where do flexion and extension occur?

the sagittal plane

abduction

opening the joint angle around the sagittal axis at the joint

adduction

closing the joint angle around the sagittal axis at the joint

where do abduction and adduction occur?

the frontal plane

medial rotation

the anterior surface of the moving bone moves towards the medial (inside) aspect of the body

lateral rotation

the anterior surface of the moving moves towards the lateral aspect of the body

where does medial rotation and lateral rotation occur?

the transverse plane

hyper

more than 180 degrees

protraction

moving forwards and out

retraction

moving backwards and in

elevation

lifting/moving up

depression

dropping/moving down

circumduction

the ‘circling’ of a body segment at a joint

pronation

the foot rolls inward as your weight shifts from the heel to the ball of your foot, flattening the arch to absorb impact

supination (underpronation)

the foot rolls outward onto the outer edge, making the foot rigid to push off with the smaller toes