Terminology Used in

Anatomy
Applies to Active
Movements
Planes
• Planes
– Horizontal
– Saggital
– Coronal (frontal)
Axes
• Axes
– 1. Horizontal axis
(transverse)
– 2. Antero-posterior
axis
– 3. Longitudinal
(vertical)
– 4. also of the limb
 Movement Terminology
• Flexion • Movements occur in
– approximation of 2 saggital plane
ventral surfaces about a transverse
• Extension (horizontal) axis -
– approximation of 2 usually
dorsal surfaces
• Rotation
– movement around a
longitudinal axis
• rotation of the spine
• medial & lateral
rotation of a limb
 Movement Terminology
• Abduction & Adduction
– movement away from or towards the mid
line, usually in the frontal plane and about
an AP axis
• Carpo-metacarpal joints of the thumb and
glenohumeral joints are exceptions

• Midline of the hand is 3rd digit & foot is

2nd digit
 Movement Terminology
• Circumduction • Elevation
– occurs when the – term used to
distal end of a long describe the lifting
bone circumscribes upwards of a limb
the base of a cone
– does not involve
rotation about a
longitudinal axis
 Movement Terminology
• Protraction & • Supination &
Retraction and Pronation of the
Depression & forearm
Elevation of the • Opposition of the
head, jaw and thumb and 5th
shoulder girdle digit
• Inversion &
Eversion of the
foot
 Movement Weirdness
• Ankle movements
– Dorsi flexion (extension)
– Plantar flexion (flexion)
• Thumb movements
– Thumb is at right angles to the fingers
• Limb bud rotates
during embryonic
life so twisting the
lower limb
• Represented by
dermatomal
distribution and
movement
terminology