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The Anatomical Position PDF

The document defines the anatomical position as standing erect with arms at sides, palms forward, legs straight, and feet flat. It then describes three anatomical planes - the frontal plane divides the body into front/back, the sagittal plane divides left/right, and the transverse plane divides upper/lower. Finally, it identifies three primary axes of rotation - the horizontal axis for flexion/extension, the anteroposterior axis for abduction/adduction, and the longitudinal axis for rotation.

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Sara Bella
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2K views2 pages

The Anatomical Position PDF

The document defines the anatomical position as standing erect with arms at sides, palms forward, legs straight, and feet flat. It then describes three anatomical planes - the frontal plane divides the body into front/back, the sagittal plane divides left/right, and the transverse plane divides upper/lower. Finally, it identifies three primary axes of rotation - the horizontal axis for flexion/extension, the anteroposterior axis for abduction/adduction, and the longitudinal axis for rotation.

Uploaded by

Sara Bella
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Anatomical Position, Planes and Axis

(Textbook page 2-3)

Anatomical Position
Anatomists and physiologist look at the human body from this standard starting point known as the
anatomical position.

The Anatomical Position

 The human body standing erect


 Face facing forward
 arms by the sides
 palms facing forward
 legs straight
 feet flat on the floor and turn out very slightly

Anatomical Planes

The anatomical position is further standardized by dividing the body into three anatomical planes. A plane
is an imaginary flat surface passing through the body or organ which divides the structure.

1) Frontal (Coronal) Plane: is vertical and extends from one


side of the body to the other. It divides the body into front and
back sections.

2) Sagittal (Medial) Plane: is vertical and extends from the


front of the body to the back. It divides the body into right and
left sections.

3) Transverse (Horizontal) Plane: is horizontal and divides the


body into upper and lower segments.
Axes of Rotation
The human body is also divided into anatomical axes Axis of rotation is an imaginary line (point of
rotation) that passes through a joint or the body to describe the movement.

3 Primary Axes of Rotation

1. Horizontal (Medio-Lateral) Axis:


 Runs from side to side
 Perpendicular to Sagittal Plane
 Typically flexion/extension

2. Antero-Posterior (Sagittal) Axis:


 Runs from front to back
 Perpendicular to the Coronal Plane
 Typically abduction/adduction movements

3. Longitudinal (Vertical) Axis:


 Runs straight through the top of the head down between
the feet
 Perpendicular to the Transverse Plane
 Typically a rotation type of movement

Summary of the three planes and axes of rotation

Anatomical Plane Perpendicular Axis


Sagittal (Medial) Horizontal (Medio-Lateral)
Frontal (Coronal) Antero-Posterior (Sagittal)
Transverse (Horizontal) Longitudinal (Vertical)

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