Sports Medicine Anatomical Terminology

Vocabulary flashcards covering body planes, directional terms, and fundamental joint movements from sports medicine anatomical terminology.

Anatomical Position

The universal starting point where the body is standing erect, feet together, arms hanging at sides or slightly to the side with palms and feet facing forward, and all joints in a neutral position.

Sagittal Plane

The plane that creates a right and a left side of the body, passing from the front to the back.

Transverse Plane

Also called the horizontal plane; creates a top and a bottom side of the body.

Frontal Plane

Also called the lateral plane; creates a front and a back side as it passes from one side of the body to another.

Superior

Above or higher than another structure.

Inferior

Below or lower than another structure.

Lateral

Farther away from the midline of the body or referring to the side of the body away from the middle.

Medial

Closer to the midline of the body or toward the median plane.

Proximal

Refers almost always to relative locations on the limbs, specifying parts closer to the torso.

Distal

Refers almost always to relative locations on the limbs, specifying parts and places away from the torso.

Anterior

Refers to a structure that is in front of another structure.

Posterior

Refers to a structure that is behind another structure.

Prone

Lying face down.

Supine

Lying face up.

Dorsal

Refers to the top side of a structure.

Plantar

Refers to the underside of the foot.

Central

Situated or pertaining to a center.

Peripheral

Situated away from a center.

Deep

Situated far beneath the surface.

Superficial

Situated near the surface.

Flexion

Decreasing the angle formed by the bones of the joint.

Extension

Increasing the angle of the joint.

Lateral Flexion

Movement of the spine laterally away from the midline of the body.

Rotation

Pivoting or twisting movement.

Medial Rotation

Also called internal rotation; movement in which the anterior surface of the arm or leg rotates medially toward the midline.

Lateral Rotation

Also called external rotation; movement in which the anterior surface of the arm or leg rotates laterally away from the midline.

Abduction

Movement away from the midline of the body.

Adduction

Movement toward the midline of the body.

Circumduction

Movement occurring in 2 or 3 planes.

Pronation

Turning the forearm toward the body; in the foot, a combination of inversion, plantar flexion, and adduction.

Supination

Turning the forearm outward from the pronated position; in the foot, a combination of eversion, dorsiflexion, and abduction.

Dorsiflexion

Bringing the toes towards the body.

Plantar Flexion

Pointing the toes away from the body.

Inversion

Turning of the foot to angle the bottom toward the midline.

Eversion

Turning of the foot to angle the bottom away from the midline.

Protraction

Anterior movement of the scapula or jaw.

Retraction

Posterior movement of the scapula or jaw.

Elevation

Raising of the scapula superiorly.

Depression

Lowering of the scapula in a more inferior position.