Sports Medicine Anatomical positions and movements

What is the anatomical position?

The body is erect, the feet are slightly apart, the head is held high, and the palms of the hands are facing forward

sagittal plane

A plane that divides the body into right and left portions.

Horizontal Plane (transverse)

divides the body into upper and lower portions.

Frontal Plane

Divides the body into front and back portions.

Superior

above

Inferior

below

Lateral

away from the midline

Medial

toward the midline

Anterior

the front of the body or body part

Posterior

back of the body or body part

Proximal

Nearer to the trunk of the body

Distal

Farther from the trunk of the body

Dorsal

toward the back

Plantar

sole of foot

Prone

lying face down

supine

lying on the back

Median

situated in the midline of the body

deep

situated far beneath the surface

Superficial

situated near the surface

Flexion

Decreases the angle of a joint

Extension

increases the angle of a joint

Hyperextension

the extreme or overextension of a limb or body part beyond its normal limit

Abduction

Movement away from the midline of the body

Adduction

Movement toward the midline of the body

Internal (medial) rotation

Rotation of a joint toward the middle of the body. The anterior surface of the arm or leg rotates medially toward midline.

External (Lateral) Rotation

the anterior surface of the arm or leg rotates laterally away from the midline

Circumduction

movement in 2 or 3 planes

Pronation

turning the palm downward

Supination

movement that turns the palm up

Dorsiflexion

movement that bends the foot upward at the ankle

Plantarflexion

Ankle movement pointing the foot downward

Retraction

Moving a part backward

Protraction

Moving a part forward

Elevation

Raising

Depression

Lowering

Rotation

Turning on a single axis

Lateral flexion

Side-bending left or right

Inversion

Turning sole of foot inward

Eversion

Turning sole of foot outward

Radial Deviation

Movement toward radius

Ulnar Deviation

Movement towards ulna

Opposition

Thumb across