Dimensions of Movement

0 Dimensions - point.
1 Dimension - line.
2 Dimensions - plane.
3 Dimensions - cube, sphere, etc.
4 Dimensions - 3 Dimensions + time.
Movement occurs in all 4 dimensions (time
and space).
 Positional Reference Systems

These are designed to identify

location or position
1. Anatomical
2. Linear
3. Angular (rotational or radial)
 Directional Terms Used in
Describing Anatomy
SUPERIOR – Directed upwards or towards
the head
INFERIOR – Directed downwards or
towards the feet
ANTERIOR – Directed towards the front of
the body
POSTERIOR – Directed towards the back
of the body
Serratus Anterior
 Serratus Posterior Superior

Serratus Anterior
 Serratus Posterior Superior

Serratus Posterior Inferior

Serratus Anterior
 Directional Terms Used in
Describing Anatomy
MEDIAL – Nearer the midline of the body
LATERAL – Farther from the midline of the body
PROXIMAL – Nearer to the attachment of a limb
to the trunk
DISTAL – Farther from the attachment of the limb
to the trunk
SUPERFICIAL – Located on or near the surface
of the body
DEEP – Away from the surface of the body
 The Anatomical Position
The position of reference
for all movements.
Also called the standing
supine position
 Cardinal Planes of the
Body

1. Sagittal – Divides the

body into left and right
halves.
2. Frontal – Divides the
body into front and
back halves.
3. Transverse – Divides
the body into top and
bottom halves.
 Sagittal Plane Movements
(Forward & Backward Movements)
Whole Body – Forward and backward
movement such as front or back flips
Segmental
Flexion
Extension
Hyperextension
Dorsiflexion
Ankle
Plantar flexion
Back flips and
front flips are
whole body
sagittal plane
movements.
For a cyclist,
the leg
movements
occur in the
sagittal
plane.
Forward and
backward
movements at
specific joints
such as the
shoulder and ankle
are sagittal plane
movements.
 Frontal Plane Movements
(Sideward & Vertical Movements)

Whole Body – Sideward movement as seen

in sideward cartwheels
 Frontal Plane Movements
(Sideward & Vertical Movements)
Segmental
Abduction
Adduction
Lateral flexion
Elevation and depression of the shoulder girdle
(or scapula)
Upward and downward rotation of the shoulder
girdle (or scapula)
Radial deviation
Wrist
Ulnar deviation
Hip abduction and
adduction.

Ulnar and radial

Deviation.
Elevation and depression of the
shoulder girdle.
Lateral flexion of the trunk.
Transverse Plane Movements
(Horizontal Movement)
Whole Body –
Horizontal
movement or rotation
as in a skater’s or
dancer's pirouette.
 Transverse Plane Movements
(Rotation Around a Vertical Axis)
Segmental
 Medial (inward) rotation
 Lateral (outward) rotation
 Left / right rotation of the trunk, neck, or head
 Supination - forearm
 Pronation – forearm
 Horizontal abduction (transverse flexion)
 Horizontal adduction (transverse extension)
 Pronation of subtalar joint – abduction + eversion
 Supination of subtalar joint – adduction + inversion
Horizontal
adduction and
abduction are
segmental
transverse plane
movements.
 Cardinal Axes of the Body
(Axes is plural for axis.)

X-Axis (Transverse, Mediolateral, Frontal, or

Breadth Axis)
Y-Axis (Longitudinal, Vertical, or Length Axis)
Z-Axis (Anteroposterior, Sagittal, or Depth Axis)

Movement, both whole body and segmental, takes

place in the cardinal planes and around the
cardinal axes.
The ellipse represents the
transverse plane and the black
line represents the Y-axis. (The
plane is like a record turntable
and the axis is like the spindle Transverse Plane
that holds the record in place.)
The Y-axis is perpendicular to
the transverse plane. Therefore
a point which rotates around the
Y-axis will move in the
transverse plane. Essentially,
movement in a given plane
takes place around the axis that
is perpendicular to that plane. Y-axis
 X-Axis
Passes from side to side.

Rotation in the sagittal plane takes place

around the x-axis.
 Y-Axis
Passes from top to bottom.

Rotation in the transverse plane takes place

around the y-axis.
 Z-Axis
Passes from front to back.

Rotation in the frontal plane takes place

around the z-axis.
 Y Axis
The cardinal axes lie at
the intersection of the
cardinal planes. Center of Gravity

X Axis
Z Axis

The cardinal planes

and axes all intersect
at the center of
gravity (c-g).