Name: ABBY CRETTI

Movement Terminology and Joint Functions

Purpose: To review the various articulations of the human body, to familiarize you with the
movements possible at these joints, and to learn terminology used to describe human
movement.

Objectives: At the completion of this laboratory, you should be able to:

1. Define the following terms:

frontal plane eversion anterior (ventral)

sagittal plane plantar flexion posterior (dorsal)
transverse plane dorsiflexion superior (cranial)
anteroposterior (AP) axis radial deviation (flexion) inferior (caudal)
mediolateral (ML) or transverse axis ulnar deviation (flexion) medial
superior-inferior (SI) longitudinal axis medial (internal) rotation lateral
flexion lateral (external) rotation proximal
extension pronation distal
hyperextension supination inversion
abduction horizontal abduction hyperflexion
adduction horizontal adduction hyperadduction
circumduction anatomical position hyperabduction
lateral flexion rotation to the right rotation to the left
linear motion angular motion general motion

2. Identify the joints at which each of the above movements occur.

3. Identify the major bones in the body.
4. Describe and demonstrate joint movements that occur in each plane of motion.
Movement Terminology 2

Background Information:

To study, analyze, or teach human movements, one must be able to clearly describe a position or
movement. Since there are numerous positions and movements the human body can adopt and perform, a
reference or baseline position is used to reduce confusion and define positional and motion terms.
“Anatomical position” is the name of this baseline position. The anatomical position is an upright
standing posture in which all joints, except the ankle, are extended so that all body segments form a
straight line, with the palms facing forward. The anatomical position is used to define movement
terminology. The movement terms are defined according to the orientation of 3 cardinal planes and their
associated axes to the body. Basically, a plane can be described as a pane of glass that the divides the
body or a segment into two parts. The cardinal planes cut the body exactly in half. Each cardinal plane is
associated with an infinite number of planes that pass through the body (sort of like a stack of paper, in
which the cardinal plane is the sheet of paper that is in the middle of the stack. Each plane has its own
axis of rotation. The axis runs perpendicular to the plane. Body segments can move linearly in a plane, or
angularly in a plane and around its associated axis. The joint that is in the center of the surrounding
moving segments is the axis. A movement term for the body or a segment is defined according to which
of the three planes it is moving in. The intersection of the cardinal planes while in anatomical position is
called the center of gravity. It is important to know that these terms are derived from the knowledge of
planes and axes. In advanced movement analysis, the planes and axes become the basis for quantitative
analysis and thus the dominant system for research.
The joints in the human body can be classified according to structure or function. For the
purpose of this lab, we will use a very simple functional classification system. Joints may be
classified according to the number of axes around which movement can occur. For this lab, you
will use the terms nonaxial (no axis), uniaxial (one axis), biaxial (two axes), and triaxial (three
axes) to classify the joints in the body.

Procedures to be completed prior to the lab session:

1. On a separate sheet of paper, use your textbook and/or notes from your Human Anatomy
course to write the definitions of the terms listed under objective #1 on the previous page.
2. Review the major bones of the body listed on the following page and make sure you can
identify them on the diagrams provided.
Movement Terminology 3

Anterior view Posterior view

1. Skull 1. Cervical vertebra

2. Clavicle 2. Scapula
3. Humerus 3. Thoracic vertebra
4. Radius 4. Rib
5. Ulna 5. Humerus
6. Carpals 6. Lumbar vertebra
7. Metacarpals 7. Ilium
8. Phalanges 8. Sacrum
9. Scapula 9. Coccyx
10. Sternum 10. Ulna
11. Ilium 11. Radius
12. Sacrum 12. Femur
13. Coccyx 13. Tibia
14. Femur 14. Fibula
15. Patella 15. Calcaneus
16. Tibia
17. Fibula
18. Tarsals
19. Metatarsals

Procedures to be completed:
1. complete the questions on the following pages for the major moveable joints in the human
body. Consider the body in anatomical position and the proximal segment of each joint
fixed.

Shoulder Joint (glenohumeral)

Reduce the shoulder girdle movements by holding the scapula and clavicle with the hand.

a. Move the humerus in the sagittal plane.

Name of the anterior movement?

Name of the posterior movement beyond

anatomical position?
Movement Terminology 4

b. Move the humerus in the frontal plane.

Name of the movement away from the

midline of the body?

Name of the movement toward the mid-

line of the body? Medial

Axis of the movement?

c. Move the humerus in the transverse plane.

Name of the movement as the anterior

aspect turns to face medially?

Name of the movement as the anterior

aspect turns to face laterally?

Axis of the movement?

d. Move the upper extremity in such a

way that a circle is described by the
tips of the fingers. This is called
circumduction and is a combination of
which fundamental movements?

e. Name the functional classification of

the shoulder joint.

f. From a position of 90o of shoulder joint

abduction (elbow extended), move the
humerus toward the midline of the body in
the transverse plane about a longitudinal
axis. What is the name of this movement?

Move the humerus away from the midline of the

body in the transverse plane about a longitudinal
axis. What is the name of this movement?

Elbow Joint (humeroulnar)

a. Move the forearm (radius and ulna) in the sagittal plane.

Name of the anterior movement?

Name of the return movement?

Movement Terminology 5

b. It will be obvious that frontal plane movement is not possible at this joint. Transverse
plane movement seems possible, but occurs instead at the proximal radioulnar joint (closely
related to the humeroulnar) and distal radioulnar joint (closely related to the wrist joint).

c. Name the functional classification of

the elbow joint?

Radioulnar Joints

a. The radioulnar joints are in what

position when the body is in
anatomical position?

b. Name the movement of turning the

forearm and palm at the RU joints
toward the posterior side of the body.

c. Name the functional classification

of the RU joints.

Wrist (radiocarpal, intercarpal, ulnar-disk-triquetral)

a. Move the hand in the sagittal plane.

Name of anterior movement?

Axis of movement?

b. Move the hand in the frontal plane.

Name of movement away from the

midline of the body in which the
hand is moved toward the radius?

Name of movement in which the

hand is moved toward the ulna?

c. With the radius and ulna firmly

fixed, can transverse plane
movement occur?

d. With the radius and ulna still

firmly fixed, can you describe a
circle with the hand?

Name of movement?

e. Name the functional classification of

the wrist joint.
Movement Terminology 6

Hip Joint - Pelvis Fixed (move thigh at the hip joint)

a. Name the movements that occur in the

sagittal plane.

b. Name the movements that occur in the

frontal plane.

c. Name the movements that occur in the

transverse plane.

d. Can circumduction be performed at this

joint?

e. From a position of 90o of hip flexion

(knee flexed to 90o), move the femur
toward the midline of the body in the
transverse plane about a longitudinal axis.
What is the name of this movement?

Move the femur away from the midline

of the body in the transverse plane about
a longitudinal axis. What is the name
of this movement?

f. Name the functional classification of the

hip joint.

Knee Joint

a. Move the tibia and fibula in the sagittal plane.

Name of posterior movement?

Axis of movement?

b. With the knee flexed (as in a sitting position), rotate the tibia and fibula so that the anterior
aspect of the leg turns medially and then laterally.

Name of medial movement?

Name of lateral movement?

Because the knee can perform movement in two planes, it is classified as a biaxial joint.
Ankle Joint (talocrural)

a. Move the foot in a sagittal plane.

Movement Terminology 7

Name the movement in which the

dorsal surface of the foot moves
toward the anterior aspect of the leg.

Name the movement in which the

dorsal surface of the foot moves away
from the anterior aspect of the leg.

b. Name the functional classification of

this joint.

Intertarsal Joints (subtalar, midtarsal)

a. Move the foot so that the sole faces

medially. What is the name of this
movement?

b. What is the name of the movement

in the opposite direction, in which
the sole is turned to face laterally?

2. Name several joints that permit circumduction. Demonstrate circumduction at these joints to
your lab partner.

___________________________________________________________________________

3. Name several joints that permit hyperextension. Demonstrate hyperextension at these joints
to your lab partner.

4. Complete the charts on the following page for the skills displayed on the projector screen.
Movement Terminology 8

Skill #1

Shoulder Joint Elbow Joint

Phase Depicted Phase Depicted Phase Depicted Phase Depicted
from 1 to 2 from 2 to 1 from 1 to 2 from 2 to 1
Joint Action
Plane Associated
with Joint Action
Axis Associated
with Joint Action

Skill #2

Name this skill. In what plane are you observing this skill? What motion is occurring in the
trunk for the phase depicted?

Skill #3

Complete the chart below to perform a basic anatomical analysis for the right shoulder joint during
the performance of this skill. The first step of a qualitative anatomical analysis is to break down the
performance into discrete phases. How you determine the phases depends on the complexity of your
analysis. For today, you should identify the phases of the skill so that only one joint action is defined
for the shoulder during that phase. Fill in the phase column with phase names you deem appropriate.
It is possible that you may not use all of the rows provided.

Phase Joint Action Plane Associated Axis Associated with

with Joint Action Joint Action

Questions to be answered and turned in following lab:

Movement Terminology 9

1. Although there is no motion occurring at the trunk in Skill #1 that you analyzed during lab,
does this mean that there are no muscles being contracted across the trunk? Explain your
answer.

2. How do the actions at the shoulder joint differ between a wide-grip and a narrow-grip pull-up
(forearms are in a supinated position)?

3. Complete the chart on the following page by writing the following information in the
appropriate columns: (a) functional classification of the joint, (b) names of all possible
movements, (c) the plane in which each movement occurs, and, (d) the axis around which the
movement occurs. Assume the body is in anatomical position. Be sure to list specific
movement terminology used for those joints where appropriate.
 Movement Terminology 10

Planes of Motion Axes of Motion

Functional Associated with Associated with
Joint Movements Permitted
Classification Identified Identified
Movements Movements

Wrist

Radioulnar

Elbow

Shoulder

Hip

Knee

Ankle

MCP/MTP

PIP/DIP

* MTP/MCP – all metatarsophalangeal/metacarpophalangeal joints except MCP 1

** PIP/DIP – all proximal interphalangeal/distal interphalangeal joint (also IP joints)
The following is not to be turned in but is simply to provide further practice in movement terminology from a different
perspective. Give one example from sport or daily living of a body segment performing the actions listed. Do not use weight
 Movement Terminology 11

training exercises as examples. Be as specific as possible when describing the example. List the joint at which the action is
occurring. The first one has been done as an example.

Action Sport/ADL Example Joint Segment/Bone Moving

Movements in the sagittal plane (about the ML axis if rotational movement)
Flexion Forward swing of the leg during kicking hip thigh
Extension
hyperextension
plantar flexion
Dorsiflexion
Movements in the frontal plane (about the AP axis if rotational movement)
Adduction
Abduction
radial deviation
ulnar deviation
Elevation
Depression
left lateral flexion
right lateral flexion
Inversion
Eversion
upward rotation
downward rotation
Movements in the transverse plane (about the SI axis if rotational movement)
medial rotation
lateral rotation
Pronation
Supination
right rotation
left rotation
Movements in no single definable plane
circumduction
Protraction
Retraction