Anatomical Terms for

Movement
 Anatomical Reference
Position
1 ◇ All movements start with
anatomical reference position.
2 Directional Terms
are generally grouped in pairs of
opposites.
 Directional Terms
◇ Medial - toward the body's midline.
◇ Lateral - Away from the body's midline
◇ Distal - farthest from the point of origin.
◇ Proximal - Closest to the point of origin.
◇ Superior - above
◇ Inferior - below
◇ Anterior - toward the front of the body
◇ Posterior - Toward the back of the body.
◇ Superficial - at or near the body'd surface.
◇ Deep - away from the body's surface.
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 Body Planes
◇ Saggital Plane - divides the body
lengthwise into right and left sides.
◇ Transverse Plane - divides the
body hrizontally into upper and
lower portions.
◇ Frontal Plane - Divides the body
lengthwise into anterior and
posterior portions.

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 Movement Terms
3 - All movements are rhythmical in
nature.
- are used to describe the actions of
muscles on the skeleton.
1. Flexion and Extension
- Flexion refers to a movement that
decreases the angle between two body
parts.
- Extension refers to a movement that
increases the angle between two body
parts.
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 2. Abduction and Adduction

- Abduction is a movement away from the

midline
- Adduction is a movement towards the
midline.

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 3. Medial and Lateral
Rotation
- Medial rotation is a rotational movement
towards the midline.
- Lateral rotation is a rotating movement
away from the midline.

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 4. Elevation & Depression
- Elevation refers to movement in a superior
direction (e.g. shoulder shrug), depressionrefers to
movement in an inferior direction.

5. Pronation & Supination

- when lying flat on the back, the body is supine.
When lying flat on the front, the body is prone.

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 6. Dorsiflexion &
Plantarflexion
- Dorsiflexion and plantarflexion are terms used to
describe movements at the ankle. They refer to the
two surfaces of the foot; the dorsum (superior
surface) and the plantar surface (the sole).

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 7. Circumduction
- Circumduction can be defined as a conical
movement of a limb extending from the joint at
which the movement is controlled.

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 references:
- https://opentextbc.ca/anatomyandphysiology/chapter/1-6-
anatomical-terminology/
- https://teachmeanatomy.info/the-basics/anatomical-
terminology/terms-of-movement/

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