The Fundamental Movements of the Human Body

The Fundamental Movements of the Human Body

The planes of movement include the sagittal plane, the frontal plane, and the transverse plane, which divides the body into upper and lower parts. On the other hand, the axes include the frontal axis, the anteroposterior axis (sagittal axis), and the vertical axis (R. S. Behnke & Plant, 2022). The movements in and along these planes and axes result in flexion and extension, abduction and adduction, and rotation movements or circumduction. These movements are fundamental in the clinical assessment of mobility and pain (St-Pierre et al., 2022).

Flexion and Extension

Flexion and extension are movements that occur along the sagittal plane and the frontal axis. The sagittal plane and frontal axis divide into left and right, while the frontal axis runs from the right to the left of the body (Behnke, 2012). The movements occurring at the sagittal plane and frontal axis can be both angular and linear (Behnke & Plant, 2022). Flexion movements occur by bending the joints, while linear extension movements occur as the joints straighten. The flexion brings a part of the body closer to another by reducing the angle between the two parts of the body, while the extension moves a part of the body away from the other, increasing the angle between the two body parts. These movements occur at any joint, provided it allows back and front movements.

A flexion occurs, for instance, when an individual is walking and the knee joint bends and raises the lower leg, reducing the angle between the lower leg and the upper leg and the body. As these movements are not exclusive, when a flexion occurs, an extension follows. Therefore, flexion will occur when the knee straightens to extend the lower leg (Behnke & Plant, 2022). Another similar example of flexion and extension is when an individual brings their forearm towards their shoulder by bending the elbow joint. In return, a flexion will occur when the individual straightens their entire arm, moving the forearm away from the shoulder and the upper arm by extending the elbow joints. Other flexions and extensions can occur simultaneously when nodding or bending the neck to move the head forward and the chin closer to the chest and then extending the neck to raise and move the head backward and raising the chin further away from the chest.

Abduction and Adduction

Abduction and adduction are movements that occur along the frontal plane and along the sagittal axis. The frontal plane and sagittal axis divide the body into front and back sections (R. Behnke, 2012). The movements occurring at the frontal plane and sagittal plane allow the body parts to move in a direction that follows the body’s midline from right to left. The resulting movements are either abduction or adduction. Both are angular and linear movements and either increase or decrease the angle of one body part and the other along their midlines. Abduction involves the movement of a body part away from its midline or the main body. The movements are also linear since they occur in a lateral direction along the front and back midline. On the other hand, adduction occurs when the body part moves towards the body’s midline or the midline of a body part (Behnke, 2012).

Further, an example of when abduction occurs is when a person raises their arms sideways away from the body. This movement involves an extension of the shoulder joint in a lateral direction. It can occur when a person places their hand on the top of the table and spreads it from their hand’s midline. Also, abduction occurs when a person is exercising and does sideways leg splits or raises their legs sideways when doing jumping jacks. On the other hand, as adduction opposes abduction, such movements occur by reversing the abduction. For instance, adduction will occur when a person stops, raises their arms sideways, and brings them down to the side of the body, brings the fingers together as in the position fingers are when shaking hands, and as well as bringing the legs together to complete a jumping jack or a leg raise. Top of Form

Rotation Movements and Circumduction

Rotation and circumduction are movements that occur at the transverse plane and along the vertical axis as well as along other planes and axes (R. S. Behnke & Plant, 2022). The resulting motions from these movements are either circular or rotational. Rotation movements occur when a person moves their body or a body part around its own axis. The rotation movements can occur along different planes and axes at the same time. On the other hand, circumduction occurs when a body part is moved in a circular direction. Circumduction, such as of the wrist or other parts of the body, results from a combination of either flexion, extension, abduction, or adduction (Gracia-Ibáñez et al., 2020).

Rotation movements include movements such as shaking the head from side to side as indicating disagreement or a “NO” gesture. The rotation movements can be internal or external when occurring at the legs or arms. For instance, when the legs or arms are rotated inwards, bringing the knees to face each other or the elbows away from each other, this is internal rotation. The opposite rotation of the legs and arms results in the knees moving away from each other and the elbows facing each other, respectively, resulting in an external rotation. Another example of a rotation movement is when a person twists their body towards their right or left to stretch along the transverse plane and vertical axis. On the other hand, circumduction examples include moving the arms on the side or front of the body in a circular direction.

References

Behnke, R. (2012). Kinetic Anatomy 3rd Edition (Loarn Robertson & Melinda Flegel, Eds.; 3rd ed.). Human Kinetics, Inc.

Behnke, R. S., & Plant, J. (2022). Kinetic Anatomy (4th ed.). Human Kinetics.

Gracia-Ibáñez, V., Sancho-Bru, J. L., Vergara, M., Roda-Sales, A., Jarque-Bou, N. J., & Bayarri-Porcar, V. (2020). Biomechanical function requirements of the wrist. Circumduction versus flexion/abduction range of motion. Journal of Biomechanics, 110, 109975. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JBIOMECH.2020.109975

St-Pierre, M. O., Lavoie, F. A., Brismée, J. M., Hoffmann, M., Begon, M., Bertrand-Grenier, A., & Sobczak, S. (2022). Intracapsular pressures in the flexion-abduction-external rotation and flexion-adduction-internal rotation tests and their comparison with classic hip range of motion: A cadaveric assessment. Clinical Biomechanics, 91, 105526. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.CLINBIOMECH.2021.105526

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