Terminology Scarlett Smith

Anatomical Position Known as the “starting position” . The body is upright and facing forwards with arms at the side and palms facing forwards and thumbs out.

Anatomical Planes Planes of the body: Frontal Plane: vertical, extends from one side of body to other. Ex: performing a cartwheel Median (Sagittal) Plane: vertical, extends from front to back of body. Ex: bending over to touch toes Transverse (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 decrease angle Ex: Knee is bent Extension: straightening joint to increase the angle Ex: straightening joint at the elbow flexion extension

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 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 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”