Anatomical Planes & Axes - Slicing and Dicing
- Planes are imaginary flat surfaces passing through the body. Axes are lines around which movement occurs. 📌 Mnemonic: Sagittal (Side view), Coronal (Crown view), Transverse (Top-down view).
| Plane | Division | Axis | Movement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sagittal | Divides body into left & right parts. Midsagittal is midline. | Transverse (horizontal) | Flexion / Extension |
| Coronal (Frontal) | Divides body into anterior (front) & posterior (back). | Anteroposterior | Abduction / Adduction |
| Transverse (Axial) | Divides body into superior (upper) & inferior (lower). | Longitudinal (vertical) | Rotation |
Directional Terms - What's Up, Doc?
📌 Mnemonic: Think of a car's Superior (roof), Inferior (chassis), Posterior (trunk), and Anterior (engine) - SIPA.
| Term | Meaning (Toward...) | Contrast |
|---|---|---|
| Superior (Cranial) | The head | Inferior (Caudal) |
| Inferior (Caudal) | The feet / tail | Superior (Cranial) |
| Anterior (Ventral) | The front | Posterior (Dorsal) |
| Posterior (Dorsal) | The back | Anterior (Ventral) |
| Medial | The midline | Lateral |
| Lateral | The side | Medial |
| Proximal | The trunk / origin | Distal |
| Distal | Away from trunk / origin | Proximal |
| Superficial | The surface | Deep |
| Deep | Away from the surface | Superficial |
| Ipsilateral | Same side of body | Contralateral |
| Contralateral | Opposite side of body | Ipsilateral |
Body Positions & Movements - The Body Electric
- Anatomical Position: Erect, feet forward, arms at sides, palms anterior, thumbs lateral.
- Body:
- Supine: Lying on back (face up).
- Prone: Lying on stomach (face down).
- General Movements:
- Flexion/Extension: Decreases/increases joint angle.
- Abduction/Adduction: Away from/towards midline.
- Rotation: Medial (internal) or Lateral (external).
- Circumduction: Circular motion combining the above.
- Special Movements:
- Forearm: Supination (palm up; 📌 "holding soup"), Pronation (palm down).
- Foot: Dorsiflexion (foot up), Plantarflexion (foot down), Inversion (sole medial), Eversion (sole lateral).
- Scapula/Jaw: Protraction/Retraction, Elevation/Depression.
⭐ Winged Scapula: Injury to the Long Thoracic Nerve (C5-C7) paralyzes the Serratus Anterior muscle. This causes the medial border of the scapula to protrude posteriorly, especially when the patient pushes against a wall.
High‑Yield Points - ⚡ Biggest Takeaways
- Anatomical position is the universal standard reference: body erect, feet parallel, eyes forward, and palms supinated (facing anteriorly).
- The coronal (frontal) plane divides the body into anterior and posterior parts.
- The sagittal plane creates left and right portions; a midsagittal cut is perfectly midline.
- The transverse (axial) plane produces superior and inferior views, essential for interpreting CT and MRI scans.
- Supination of the forearm turns the palm anteriorly; pronation turns it posteriorly.
- Proximal refers to being closer to the trunk, while distal means farther away.
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