Overview
This lecture explains anatomical planes of movement—sagittal, frontal, and transverse—and how they relate to describing body and sports movements.
Anatomical Position
- The anatomical standing position is a neutral body stance with palms facing forward and feet slightly apart.
- Movements are described relative to deviations from this anatomical position.
Sagittal Plane
- The sagittal plane divides the body into left and right halves (spelled with one "g" and two "t"s).
- Flexion (bending) and extension (straightening) occur along the sagittal plane.
- Movements like plantar flexion (pointing toes down) and dorsiflexion (raising toes up) also occur in this plane.
- Examples: running, kicking, and somersaulting involve sagittal plane movement.
Frontal Plane
- The frontal plane divides the body into front (anterior) and back (posterior) sections.
- Abduction (moving away from the midline) and adduction (moving toward the midline) occur along this plane.
- Movements like star jumps, cartwheels, and diving saves in sports are examples.
Transverse Plane
- The transverse plane divides the body into upper (superior) and lower (inferior) sections.
- Rotation movements, such as twisting or spinning, occur along the transverse plane.
- Horizontal flexion and extension (e.g., boxing hook, drawing the arm back) also take place along this plane.
- Actions like a discus spin highlight rotation in the transverse plane.
Combined Movements
- Many sports movements involve actions across multiple planes simultaneously.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Anatomical Position — Standard body stance with palms forward, used as reference for describing movements.
- Sagittal Plane — Divides body into left/right; movements: flexion, extension, running, kicking.
- Frontal Plane — Divides body into front/back; movements: abduction, adduction, star jump, cartwheel.
- Transverse Plane — Divides body into upper/lower; movements: rotation, horizontal flexion/extension, spinning.
- Flexion — Bending a joint, decreasing angle.
- Extension — Straightening a joint, increasing angle.
- Abduction — Movement away from the body’s midline.
- Adduction — Movement toward the body’s midline.
- Plantar Flexion — Pointing toes downward.
- Dorsiflexion — Raising toes upward.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the provided images illustrating each plane and associated movements.
- Reflect on which sporting techniques use each anatomical plane.
- Practice identifying planes involved in various sports actions for next session.