Body Joint Motion Terms

Body joint motion terms describe how bones and muscles move at different joints. These standard names make it easier to talk about range of motion in the body. They are used to describe actions at the shoulder, hip, elbow, knee, wrist, fingers, toes, and spine.

Flexion and extension are movements...

Anatomical movements describe the motion of bones and muscles in reference to the standard anatomical position. These motions often pair with a complementary movement in the opposite direction.  

Many movements travel along the frontal, sagittal, or transverse anatomical planes.

Frontal plane movements occur toward or away from the...