Sports Medicine Medical Terms

"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 Rotation" "Rotation of a limb away from the midline."

"Internal 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."