List of Anatomical Directions & Movements
By Bernie Clark, April 13th, 2014
These tables are associated with the article The Planes of Movement.
They list directions associated with the axial (core) body and the appendicular body (the limbs), as well as various
terms refering to directions of possible movements for the whole body.
The Axial Body
| Aborad | Movement within the gastrointestinal system in the direction away from the mouth |
| Anterior | Located on or pertaining to the front of the body |
| Apical | The tip or apex |
| Axial | Pertaining to the head, neck, and trunk of the body Can also refer to the Transverse (Horizontal) plane (Sometimes call the Transaxial plane) |
| Basal | The bottom or base |
| Basilar | The base of the skull |
| Bilateral | Both sides |
| Central | Located at the center or interior of the body |
| Cephalad | Towards the head |
| Caudad | Towards the tail or posterior |
| Contralateral | On the opposite side of the body or structure |
| Coronal | Parallel to the Coronal Suture of the cranium |
| Cranial | Pertaining to the head |
| Deep | Below the surface of the body |
| External | Outer or sometimes lateral |
| Frontal | Along the Coronal Plane, parallel to the Coronal Suture, dividing the front and back of the body |
| Horizontal | Along the Transverse Plane, dividing the upper and lower body |
| Inferior | Lower, below, or located away from the head |
| Internal | Inner or sometimes medial |
| Ipsilateral | On the same side of the body or structure |
| Lateral | To the side or located away from the midline of the body |
| Longitudinal | Along the long axis |
| Medial | Toward the median plane or the midline of the body |
| Median Plane | The sagittal plane |
| Medius | Situated in the middle |
| Midsagittal | Sagittal plane that lies on the midline |
| Oblique | Diagonally |
| Occipital | Pertaining to the back of the cranium |
| Orad | Movement within the gastrointestinal system in the direction of the mouth |
| Parasagittal Plane | A side plane (Sagittal) that is not through the middle of the body and thus divides the body into unequal left and right regions |
| Peripheral | Located away from the center |
| Posterior | Located on or pertaining to the back of the body |
| Rostral | Situated towards the eye brows or the nose |
| Sagittal | Parallel to the Sagittal Suture of the cranium |
| Side | Parallel to the Sagittal Suture of the cranium |
| Superficial | Located on or close to the surface of the body |
| Superior | Upper, above, or located towards the head |
| Temporal | Pertaining to the lateral side of the cranium |
| Transverse | Along the plane that horizontally divides the upper and lower body |
| Unilateral | One side |
| Ventral | Towards the abdomen, or the center, or the lower surface |
| Vertical | Perpendicular to the horizon |
| Visceral | Deep |
Appendicular Body
| Appendicular | Appendages or limbs |
| Arm | The region of the body from the shoulder to the elbow |
| Distal | Away from the trunk of the body or the point of reference, or towards the end of a limb |
| Dorsal | Pertaining to the back of the foot or hand (the other side from the sole or the palm) |
| Fibular | Pertaining to the lateral side of the leg |
| Forearm | The region of the body from the elbow to the wrist |
| Leg | The region of the body from the knee to the ankle |
| Palmar | Pertaining to the palm of the hand |
| Plantar | Pertaining to the sole of the foot |
| Proximal | Closer to the trunk of the body or the point of reference |
| Radial | Pertaining to the lateral side of the forearm |
| Thigh | The region of the body from the hip to the knee |
| Tibial | Pertaining to the medial side of the leg |
| Ulnar | Pertaining to the medial side of the forearm |
| Valgus | Distal segment of a joint that deviates laterally. ( e.g. knock-kneed) |
| Varus | Distal segment of a joint that deviates medially. ( e.g. bow-legged) |
| Volar | Relating to the palm of the hand or the sole of the foot |
Body Movements
Remember that movements can be, and often are combined. These terms may also apply equally to the upper and lower appendicular skeleton.
| Abduction | Movement of a limb away from the midline of the body, usually in the Frontal (Coronal) Plane |
| Adduction | Movement of a limb towards the midline of the body, usually in the Frontal (Coronal) Plane |
| Angulation | Changing the angle between the axis of articulating bones |
| Circumduction | Circular movement of a limb that combines abduction, flexion, adduction and extension |
| Counternutation | Nodding of the sacrum posteriorly and slightly upward relative to the top of the pelvis |
| Depression | Scapula: moving the scapula downward in the Frontal (Coronal) Plane |
| Deviation | Wrist: Radial Deviation – moving the wrist so the thumb comes closer to forearm Ulnar Deviation – moving the wrist so the little finger comes closer to forearm |
| Dorsiflexion | Ankle: moving the ankle so the toes move towards the knee |
| Elevation | Scapula: moving the scapula upward in the Frontal (Coronal) Plane |
| Eversion | Ankle: twisting the foot laterally, outward so that the sole of the foot faces to the side. Also called pronation. |
| Extension | Straightening a joint that increases the joint angle, commonly posteriorly in the Side (Sagittal) Plan |
| Flexion | Bending at a joint that decreases the joint angle, commonly anteriorly in the Side (Sagittal) Plan |
| Inversion | Ankle: twisting the foot medially, inward so that the sole of the foot faces to the midline of the body |
| Nutation | Nodding of the sacrum anteriorly and slightly downward relative to the top of the pelvis |
| Opposition | Thumb: moving the thumb and the palm closer together |
| Plantarflexion | Ankle: moving the ankle so the toes move away from the knee |
| Pronation | Forearm: rotation of the forearm so the palm faces inward and downward Foot: rotation of the foot so the palm or sole faces inward and upward. Aslo called eversion. |
| Prone | Lying on the stomach |
| Protraction | Scapula: abducting the scapula away from each other |
| Retraction | Scapula: adduction of the scapula towards each other |
| Rotation | Circular turning along the long axis |
| Supination | Forearm: rotation of the forearm so palm or sole faces outward and upward Foot: rotation of the foot so palm or sole faces outward and downward |
| Supine | Lying on the back |
| Translation | Sliding with no rotation or angulation |