ABC ANATOMY Our Anatomy

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ABC ANATOMY

1. Anatomical position (p. 1)

☯ It’s a REFERENCE position as a starting point to describe movements.

☯ The anatomy of movement involves 3 main systems:

���� BONES, elements of the skeleton

���� ARTICULATIONS, the link between bones

���� MUSCLES, that move the bones

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2. Planes of movement (p. 2)

☯ MEDIAN OR MIDSAGITTAL plane

We see the movements in profile; the middle line divides the body into symmetrical right

and left halves

���� Forward, FLEXION (ankle: DORSIFLEXION)

���� Backward, EXTENSION (ankle: PLANTARFLEXION)

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☯ FRONTAL OR CORONAL plane (p. 3)

It divides the body into anterior and posterior parts.

���� Towards the median plane, ADDUCTION

���� Away from the median plane, ABDUCTION

���� For the trunk or neck, lateral flexion or side-bending

���� Fingers and toes, the reference is:

���� axis of the hand (middle finger)

���� axis of the foot (2d toe)

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☯ TRANSVERSE OR HORIZONTAL plane (p. 4)

It divides the body into superior and inferior (upper and lower) parts

���� Outward, LATERAL ROTATION (forearm: SUPINATION)

���� Inward, MEDIAL ROTATION (forearm: PRONATION)

���� For the trunk or neck, right/left rotation

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☯ Other anatomical reference TERMS (p. 6)

���� ANTERIOR: facing toward or located at the front

���� POSTERIOR: “ “ “ “ at the back

���� SUPERIOR: “ “ “ “ at the top

���� INFERIOR: “ “ “ “ at the bottom

���� MEDIAL: closer to the median plane

���� LATERAL: further for the median plane

���� INTERNAL or DEEP: inside the body (note: the deep muscles of the foot form the

superior layer and the superficial ones the inferior layer)

���� EXTERNAL or SUPERFICIAL: surface of the body

���� PROXIMAL: closer to the trunk or some major joint

���� DISTAL: further from “ “ “ “

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