The document provides information about anatomical terminology used to describe body orientation and movement. It defines the anatomical position as standing upright with face and feet facing forward and arms at the sides. It introduces three concepts: planes that divide the body into sections, axes that describe rotational movement, and positional terms like superior/inferior. It describes the three planes - frontal, sagittal, transverse - and three axes - anteroposterior, longitudinal, horizontal. Finally, it defines common terms used to describe basic movements like flexion, extension, abduction that involve joints moving in the different planes.

1. Orienting ourselves with the body

2. What is it?
The anatomical position is:
To be in correct anatomical position, the body must
meet 3 criteria:
“the universal accepted starting point used to
describe or analyze anatomical terms or
movement.”
1. Upright, standing position
2. Face and feet pointing forward
3. Arms at the side, palms facing
forward
But how do we use the anatomical position to describe
movement?

3. Before looking specifically at movement, we first have to
understand how to describe movement. By the end of
this lesson you will be introduced to 3 concepts:
1. Planes
2. Axes
3. Position
You will be learning and expected to use a new language from here on in!

4. Anatomical Planes
Frontal(Coronal)
-relate to positions in space and found at right angles to each other
-these planes can be positioned on any specific parts of the body
-vertical; splits the
body into front and
back halves

5. Frontal section of the human face

6. Anatomical Planes
Frontal(Coronal)
-relate to positions in space and found at right angles to each other
-these planes can be positioned on any specific parts of the body
-vertical; splits the
body into front and
back halves
Sagittal
-vertical; splits the
body into left and
right halves

7. Sagittal view of the human face

8. Anatomical Planes
Frontal(Coronal)
-relate to positions in space and found at right angles to each other
-these planes can be positioned on any specific parts of the body
-vertical; splits the
body into front and
back halves
Sagittal
-vertical; splits the
body into left and
right halves
Transverse
-horizontal; splits
the body into upper
and lower halves

9. Transverse view of the human thigh

10. The Frontal Plane

11. The Sagittal Plane

12. The Transverse Plane

13. Anatomical Axes
-a lot of our movement occurs via our joints
-axes are used to describe the direction of movement at joints
Antero-posterior
-horizontal;
extends from
front to back
-rotate side to side
Horizontal
-horizontal; runs from one side of the body to the other
-rotate top to bottom
Longitudinal
-vertical; extends
superior (head) to
inferior (foot)
-rotate around

14. Body Position Terminology
• The following terms will become like a second language for you. These terms
are used to describe position of the body and will be used extensively when we
talk about muscles and bones
Medial- towards the midline(centre) of the body
Lateral- away from the midline of the body
Proximal- situated closest to the point of attachment
Distal- situated farthest from the point of attachment
Superior- towards the top of the body (cranial)
Inferior- towards the bottom of the body (caudal)
Anterior- towards the front of the body (ventral)
Posterior- towards the back of the body (dorsal)
Superficial- on or close to the surface of the body
Deep- farther away from the surface of the body

15. Let’s apply our knowledge
1. 2.
Using what you have learned today, for each of these movements: 1)cartwheel
and 2) figure skater spin, describe the motion by which plane and axis each
movement occurs
Plane:
Axis:
Plane:
Axis:
Frontal
Anteroposterier
Transverse
Longitudinal

16. Describe the anatomical plane that each of the following
pictures is viewed from:
sagittal

17. Transverse

18. sagittal

19. frontal

20. frontal

22. Body Position Terminology
• The following terms will become like a second language for you. These
terms are used to describe position of the body and will be used extensively
when we talk about muscles and bones
Medial- towards the midline(centre) of the body
Lateral- away from the midline of the body
Proximal- situated closest to the point of attachment
Distal- situated farthest from the point of attachment
Superior- towards the top of the body (cranial)
Inferior- towards the bottom of the body (caudal)
Anterior- towards the front of the body (ventral)
Posterior- towards the back of the body (dorsal)
Superficial- on or close to the surface of the body
Deep- farther away from the surface of the body

23. THE Basic Movements of the Human Body
The following words will build on the vocabulary learned yesterday. The
basic movements of the human body occur around and because of our joints. You are
expected to start using these terms frequently, because no longer do you “bend,” you
“flex.” “Rolling” your ankle becomes an ankle “inversion.” And “pointing” your toe,
will now be referred to as “plantar flexion”
Flexion
Extension
-bending the joint to reduce the angle
between two bones.
-occurs in the sagittal plane
-straightening a joint to increase
the angle
-occurs in the sagittal plane

24. Abduction
Adduction
-movement away from the medial
plane
-occurs in the frontal plane
-movement towards the medial
plane
-occurs in the frontal plane
Circumductio
n
-a circular motion combining
flexion, extension, abduction
and adduction
-occurs in all 3 planes

25. Internal (Medial) Rotation
External (Lateral) Rotation
-moves anterior part of a limb
medially (towards midline)
-occurs in the transverse plane
-moves anterior part of a lim
laterally (away from midline)
-occurs in the transverse plane
Pronation
Supination
-rotation of hand; bring thumb towards
midline; plam facing back
-occurs in transverse plane
-rotation of hand; bring thumb away
from midlein;palm facing forward
-occurs in transverse plane

26. Dorsiflexion
Plantarflexion
-movement of ankle to decrease
angle between foot and lower leg
-occurs in sagittal plane
-movement of ankle to increase
angle between foot and lower leg
-occurs in sagittal plane
Inversion
Eversion
-medial border of foot is raised; sole of
foot turned medially (inward)
-occurs in frontal plane
-lateral border of foot raised; sole of foot
turned laterally (outward)

27. Protraction
Retraction
-moving in an anterior
(forward) direction
-occurs in sagittal plan
-moving in a posterior
(backward) direction
-occurs in sagittal plane
Oppostion
-thumb comes into contact with
another finger
Reposition
-return thumb to anatomical
position

28. Elevation
-raising up to a more superior position
-occurs in frontal plane
Depression
-pulling down to a more inferior position
-occurs in frontal plane