Terminology

The sagittal plane, by exploiting the bilateral nature of the human body, divides it into two symmetrical halves, one anterior and the other posterior, the medial sagittal plane (shown to the side) is the sagittal plane that passes through the exact half of the body.

The infinite sagittal planes that we can appreciate, running parallel to the medial sagittal plane, enables identifying two sides. One facing the medial sagittal plane (therefore defined medial), and one facing the side of the body (and thus defined lateral).

The frontal plane is parallel to the front and divides the body into two parts, which are completely different (anterior and posterior). It is perpendicular to the sagittal plane.

The transverse plane (to the left) is perpendicular to the previous two planes, and it divides the body into two parts: a superior and an inferior one, exactly like the two sides that enable identifying them and they are called cephalic and caudal, respectively.

There are many other terms used to describe the parts of the body and their positions. Among them are the terms distal and proximal, which identify a point regarding its distance from the medial sagittal plane.

Also movements the body can make are defined according to the axis they occur on, resulting in flexion and extension if they involve the transverse plane; and in inclination, adduction and abduction if they concern the sagittal plane; and in torsion if they occur around the frontal plane.

Finally, there are different points and lines on the body through which precise and comparable measurements can be made with other data, or, simply, which are useful in order to precisely locate a anthropometric point. These points are particularly numerous in the cranium, horizontal and vertical lines can be traced along the trunk by taking advantage of the position of the ribs and the spaces between them.