Terminology

Scarlett Smith

Anatomical Position

Known as the“starting position” .The body is uprightand facing forwardswith arms at theside and palms facingforwards and thumbsout.

Anatomical Planes

Planes of the body:Frontal Plane: vertical, extends from one side of body to other. Ex: performing a cartwheelMedian (Sagittal) Plane: vertical,extends from front to back of body. Ex: bending over to touch toesTransverse (Horizontal) Plane: divides body into upper and lower parts.Ex: swinging a bat in baseball

Anatomical Axes

• Horizontal Axes: extends from one side of body to the other

• Longitudinal Axes: runs from head to toe dividing the body in half vertically

• Antero- posterior Axes: extends from front to back of the body

Flexion/Extension

• Flexion: bending joint to decreaseangle

• Ex: Knee is bent

• Extension: straightening joint to increase the angle

• Ex: straightening joint at the elbow

extensionflexion

Terms of Direction and Body Position

• Proximal: towards the attachment point of the limb and the body• Distal: farther away from attachment point of the limb and the

body• Superior: upward surfaces• Inferior: downward surfaces • Posterior: toward the back

of the body• Anterior: toward the front

of the body• Lateral: away from the midline• Medial: towards the midline

Abduction/Adduction

• Abduction: movement of body part away from center of the body

• Ex: moving arm away from body

• Adduction: movement of body part towards your body

• Ex: bringing arm towards your center

Abduction

Adduction

Internal/External Rotation

• Internal: turning a limb so that it is going towards the midline of the body

• Ex: pointing the toes inward to the center of your body

• External: turning a limb so that it is going away from the midline of the body

• Ex: pointing the toes outward away from the center of your body

Circumduction

• Making a circular motion involving flexion, extension, abduction and adduction

• Ex: making circles with your arm

Supination/Pronation

• Supination: Inward “roll” or motion of the foot or hand so that the foot moves inwards or the palm is facing forward • Pronation: opposite of supination, the outward roll or motion

Protraction/Retraction

• Protraction: moving in a forward direction

• Retraction: moving in a backward direction

• Ex: moving shoulders forward (pronation), moving shoulders backward (retraction)

Dorsiflexion/Plantar Flexion • Dorsiflexion: movement of the ankle so that the angle between the foot and shin is decreasing • Plantar Flexion: movement of the ankle so that the angle between the foot and shin is increasing• Ex: pointing toes toward head (dorsiflexion), pointing toes toward ground (plantar flexion)

Eversion/Inversion• Eversion: raising the foot up so that the sole of the foot is turned outward

• Inversion: raising the foot so that the sole of the foot is turned inward

• Ex: standing on the inner edge of your foot (eversion), standing on the outer edge of your foot (inversion)

Elevation/Depression

• Elevation: the movement of raising up• Depression: the movement of pulling down • Ex: hunching your shoulders (elevation),

slouching your shoulders (depression)

Opposition/Reposition

• Opposition: when the thumb contacts one of the other fingers• Reposition: when the thumb returns back to the “starting position”