Structure & terminologies

• Anterior-  Front (ex. the patella lies anterior to the knee joint.gluteus maximus lies posterior to the hip joint)

  Coronal plane (frontal plane)
• Posterior- Back or rear (Ex. joint.gluteus maximus lies posterior to the hip joint) 

  Coronal plane (frontal plane)
• Superior- Above, (Ex. the head is superior to the trunk)

  (Horizontal plane)
• 2. Inferior- Below (ex. the knee is inferior to the hip)

  (Horizontal plane)
• 1. Vertical  (Sagittal Plane)refers to the outer side of the body part, but it is also used to refer to the side of a body part 1. Right 2. Left
• Medial- Midline (Ex. the middle toe is located at the medial side of the foot)
• Distal- refers to the distance or Away from the trunk or root of the limb(ex. The Hand is distal to shoulder)
• Proximal- Close to the trunk or root of the limb(ex. Shoulder proximal to the elbow)
• An understanding of the action and principle of levers is of considerable use when considering the application of the forces applied to bones.
• A first class lever is used in balancing weight

  and/or changing the direction of pull.
• A second class lever (the principle on which

  weight is lifted in a wheelbarrow), gains

  mechanical advantage thereby allowing large

  loads to be moved, but with a loss of speed.
• A third class lever is the most commonly found within the body. It works at a mechanical disadvantage moving less weight but often at great speed.
• Flexion The bending of adjacent body segments in a paramedian plane so that their two anterior/posterior surfaces are brought together
• The moving apart of two opposing

  surfaces in a paramedian plane, e.g. the

  straightening of the flexed knee or elbow.

  Extension also refers to movement beyond the

  neutral position in a direction opposite to

  flexion
• Plantar flexion - Moving the top (dorsum) of

  the foot away from the anterior surface of the leg
• Dorsi flexion - Bringing the dorsum of the foot

  towards the front of the leg.
• Abduction The movement of a body segment

  in a coronal plane such that it moves away

  from the midline of the body
• Adduction - The movement of a body segment

  in a coronal plane such that it moves towards

  the midline of the body
• Medial rotation - rotation of a limb segment about its longitudinal axis such that the anterior surface comes to face towards the midline of the body
• Lateral rotation - rotation of a limb segment about its longitudinal axis so that its anterior surface faces away from the midline plane
• Supination - Movement of the forearm so that

  the palm of the hand faces forwards
• Pronation - Movement of the forearm which

  brings the palm of the hand to face backwards
• Eversion - Movement of the whole foot so that

  the sole comes to face laterally. It consists of

  pronation and abduction of the forefoot
• Inversion - movement of the whole foot to bring the sole to face medially. It consists of supination and adduction of the forefoot.