Anatomical Planes and Movements

Anatomical Planes and Movements

• Transverse Plane: Horizontal plane dividing the body into superior (upper) and inferior (lower) regions. Can also be referred to as rostral/cranial (toward the head) and caudal/podal (toward the feet). For limbs, use proximal (closer to the body) and distal (further from the body) instead of superior and inferior. Proximal and distal are useful to describe limb structures near/far from the limb's origin.

• Movement Direction: Defined by the axis around which the movement occurs. Axes include sagittal, frontal/coronal, and transverse. Sagittal plane movements are lateral flexion (bending sideways) for the torso and limbs, abduction (moving away from midline) and adduction (moving towards the midline). Frontal plane movements are flexion (decreasing angle between body parts) and extension (increasing angle), especially in relation to limb movement or the knee. For the foot, it involves plantar flexion (pointing toes downwards) and dorsiflexion (pointing toes upwards).

• Torsion/Rotation: Movement around a vertical axis; for the spine, this is called rotation. For limbs, internal rotation (turning inward) or external rotation (turning outward). Distal limb parts (e.g., hands, feet) have supination (rotating outward/palm up) and pronation (rotating inward/palm down) movements.

• Complex Movements: Circumduction: A combination of flexion, abduction, extension, and adduction in a circular motion. Multiple axis/planes involved.