Chapter 5: Human Movement Science

Question 1

Biomechanics

Answer 1

The study of how internal and external forces affect a living body (especially for the skeletal system)

Question 2

Superior

Answer 2

A position above a point of reference.

Question 3

Inferior

Answer 3

A position below a point of reference.

Question 4

Proximal

Answer 4

A position near the center of your body or a point of reference. Your knee joint is more proximal to your hip joint then your ankle joint is

Question 5

Distal

Answer 5

A position that is farther away from the center of your body or point of reference. Your ankle is more distal to your hips then your knees are

Question 6

Anterior (Ventral)

Answer 6

This refers to the front of your body facing forward. Your chest is anterior on your body

Question 7

Posterior (Dorsal)

Answer 7

This refers to the back of your body. Your back and your hamstrings are posterior.

Question 8

Medial

Answer 8

This refers to things close to the midline of the body. Your adductors are closer to the midline of your body compared to your abductors

Question 9

Lateral

Answer 9

Positioned on the outside of the body. Your ears are on the lateral side of your head

Question 10

Contralateral

Answer 10

These are things located on the opposite side of your body. Your left foot is contralateral to your right hand.

Question 11

Ipsilateral

Answer 11

These are things located on the same side of your body. You are left foot is ipsilateral to your left hand.

Question 12

Anatomic position

Answer 12

The anatomic position is important as a point of reference for anatomic nomenclature. The anatomic position is when the body is erect, the arms at your side and your palms facing forward. This way we can reference what is posterior, anterior, medial or lateral by referencing this default position.

Question 13

Sagittal plane

Answer 13

The sagittal plane splits the body into a right half and they left half. Extension and flexion are movements in this plane.

Question 14

Flexion

Answer 14

This is a bending movement where a relative angle between two adjacent sections decreases. It’s easier to imagine two separate reference points. A good example is of knee flexion. In this example, the two reference points are your calves and your hamstrings. As knee flexion occurs, the distance between your calves and hand strings decrease as they get closer to one another. As the knee goes into extension they move further away from each other, or the relative angle increases with the knee extension and decreases with knee flexion

Question 15

Extension

Answer 15

This is the opposite of flexion. The relative angle between adjacent sections increases as with my knee extension example above.

Question 16

Hyperextension

Answer 16

This is the extension beyond the normal limits of the body.

Question 17

Frontal plane

Answer 17

This is a vertical plane that has right angles compared to the sagittal plane breaking up the body between frontal and posterior planes.

Question 18

Abduction

Answer 18

The act that typically moves a limb away from the midline of the body in the frontal plane.

Question 19

Adduction

Answer 19

The act that typically moves a limb towards the midline of the body in the frontal plane

Question 20

Transverse plane

Answer 20

The plane that divides the body into a lower and upper section.

Question 21

Internal rotation

Answer 21

When a limb rotates in the transverse plane going towards the midline of the body. If looked from a bird’s eye view, a limb moving counterclockwise going towards the midline of the body.

Question 22

External rotation

Answer 22

When a limb rotates in the transverse plane going away from the midline of the body. If looked at from a bird’s eye view, a limb moving clockwise away from the midline of the body.

Question 23

Horizontal adduction

Answer 23

Imagine the movement of a chest fly.

Question 24

Horizontal abduction

Answer 24

Imagine the movement of a rear deltoid fly

Question 25

Scapular motion

Answer 25

The act of moving the shoulder blades away from the midline.

Question 26

Scapular retraction

Answer 26

The act of moving the shoulder blades in the direction of the midline.

Question 27

Scapular elevation:

Answer 27

The act of elevating the shoulder blades towards the superior.

Question 28

Scapular depression

Answer 28

The active lowering the shoulder blades towards the inferior.