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Understanding Planes and Axes of Movement
Understanding Planes and Axes of Movement
Terminology
The sagital plane lies vertically and divides the body into right and left parts.
The frontal plane also lies vertically and divides the body into anterior and
posterior parts.
The transverse plane lies horizontally and divides the body into superior and
inferior parts.
Behnke 2000
Axis
Sagital axis
Frontal axis
Vertical axis
The sagital axis passes horizontally from posterior to anterior and is formed
by the intersection of the sagital and transverse planes.
The frontal axis passes horizontally from left to right and is formed by the
intersection of the frontal and transverse planes.
The vertical axis passes vertically from inferior to superior and is formed by
the intersection of the sagital and frontal planes.
The same concept applies to all the individual joints in the lower limb
The movement that you effectively “see” does not represent what is
occurring in terms of motor control and force absorption within all three
planes.
For example during gait the most obvious hip movement is expressed in
the sagital plane, but at the joint there is an interplay between eccentric
force absorption and concentric force production in all three planes. The
hip is subtly decelerating internal rotation and adduction and then
accelerating external rotation and abduction.
McGinnis, (1999)
Movement in the frontal plane about the sagital axis
McGinnis, (1999)
Movement in the transverse (horizontal) plane about the vertical axis
McGinnis, (1999)
Practical Reasoning
Quads bench, bicep curl, hip abduction, hamstring curl, calf raise, tricep
press, lateral arm raise, overhead press, tricep extension.
These are all activities that require motion in all three planes simultaneously.
But once again even at this higher level of complex movement, simple
observation may lead to a conclusion that the movement is dominated by one
plane i.e. the transverse plane in golf. However the body is stabilising,
redirecting, controlling and subtly shifting in all three planes of motion, at all
the involved joints in order to successfully complete the golf swing.
Key Points
The “three planes of motion” are as much a training variable, or “tool” as
the application and progression of resistance, load, speed, range,
frequency, reps and time.
What appears to be movement in one plane may hide its “control” and
contribution from the other two planes.