1. Terminology
Scarlett Smith

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. Circumduction
Making a circular motion involving flexion, extension, abduction and adduction
Ex: making circles with your arm

10. 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

11. Protraction/Retraction
Protraction: moving in a forward direction
Retraction: moving in a backward direction
Ex: moving
shoulders forward
(pronation),
moving shoulders
backward (retraction)

12. 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)

13. 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)

14. Elevation/Depression
Elevation: the movement of raising up
Depression: the movement of pulling down
Ex: hunching your shoulders (elevation), slouching your shoulders (depression)

15. Opposition/Reposition
Opposition: when the
thumb contacts one of
the other fingers
Reposition: when the
thumb returns back
to the “starting position”