– movement away from the
median plane around an anterior-posterior
axis with the angle between the displaced
parts becoming greater, as in lifting the
arm sideward away from the body
 Action – in physiology, the motions or
functions of a part or organ of the body
 Adduction – movement towards the
median plane around an anterior-posterior
axis with the angle between the displaced
parts becoming lesser, as in bringing the
arm sideward against the body
 Abduction
Position – the neutral stance of
the individual; standing, facing forward with
arms at the sides and palms facing forward
 Anterior or Ventral – the front of the body
or body part
 Circumduction – is movement around the
horizontal and longitudinal axis of a joint
during which the distal end of the bone
circumscribes the base of an imaginary
cone and proximal end forms the apex, as
in swinging the arms in a circle
 Anatomical
(down) – just the opposite, as
in lowering the shoulder
 Distal – farthest from a point of reference
(opposite of proximal)
 Dorsiflexion – the act of drawing the toe or
foot toward the dorsal aspect of the
proximally conjoined body segment
 Dorsal – upper surface (e.g. top of foot)
 Dorsum – the back side of the hand
 Depression
 Elevation
(up) – as in lifting the shoulder
up
 Eversion – turning the sole of the foot
outward
 Extension – is the reverse movement
during which the angle between the
anterior aspects of the displaced parts is
increased as in moving the forearm away
from the upper arm
 External or peripheral – means near the
surface
External rotation – turning outwardly or away
from the midline of the body
 Flexion – movement around a transverse axis
in an anterior-posterior plane with the angle
between the anterior aspects of the displaced
parts becoming smaller as in bending the
forearm toward the arm at the elbow joint
 Hyper (prefix) – meaning too much
 Hyperextension – in excess of normal
extension

– in excess of normal flexion
 Inferior – toward the bottom of the body or
body part
 Insertion – muscle attachment to a bone
that moves
 Internal – refers to a deeper position
 Internal rotation – the turning of a limb
toward the midline of the body
 Inversion – turning the sole of the foot
inward
 Hyperflexion
– away from the midline of the body
 Major – means greater or larger
 Medial – toward the midline of the body
 Mid sagittal or median – divides the body
into equal and symmetrical right and left
halves
 Minor – means lesser or smaller
 Origin – the fixed end or attachment of
muscle
 Lateral
– ventral aspect of the hand (palm
of the hand)
 Plantar – ventral aspect of the foot (sole of
the foot)
 Plantar flexion – the act of drawing the toe
or foot toward the plantar aspect of the
proximally conjoined body segment
 Posterior or dorsal – the back of the body
or body part
 Palmar
– is medial rotation of the
forearm as in turning the palm of the hand
downward
 Prone – face down, horizontal position of
the body
 Protraction – (forward) as in bring the
shoulder forward
 Proximal – nearest to the point of
attachment, origin or other point of
reference
 Pronation
of motion (ROM) – the extent to
which a body part can move through all of
its planes of movement
 Retraction (backward) – as in pulling the
shoulder back and thus bringing the
shoulder blades together
 Superficial – toward the surface of the
body
 Superior – toward the top of the body or
body part
 Range
– is lateral rotation of the
forearm, as in turning the palm of the hand
up ward
 Supine – lying on the back face upward,
opposed to prone
 Valgus – position of a body part that is
bent outward
 Varus – position of a body part that is bent
inward
 Supination
 Ventral
– bottom surface (opposite of
dorsal)
 Volar – ventral aspect of the hand