Download Terminology 101

Dorsal surface-the upper area or top of the foot
Plantar surface-bottom of the foot; weight bearing
Medial—The inside edge
of the foot; has the
great toe and tibia.
Lateral—outer edge of
the foot; smallest toe
and fibula side.
Distal
The knee is distal to the hip but
proximal to the foot.
Proximal
Proximal/Distal—used to clarify a location point or the point
of attachment.
Proximal-closer to the trunk or body
Distal-furthest from point of reference
Anterior refers to the front of
the body
Posterior refers to the rear or
back of the body.
The chest is on the anterior portion of the
body and the back is on the posterior
portion of the body.
Posterior
Anterior
Anterior
Posterior
Superior
Superior refers to the
positioning above or
towards the head.
Inferior refers to the
positioning below.
Usually used as a reference point for the
location of a wound: The ulcer is inferior
to the navicular.
Inferior
Anatomical positions
3 basic planes of motion
Referred to as the Cardinal planes
Divides the body, as well as the foot, with 3
imaginary lines
Three Cardinal Planes of motion:
Sagittal—splits vertically into left and right sections
Frontal (coronal)—splits vertically into front and
back sections
Transverse—splits into top and bottom sections.
Splits the body into left half and right half.
The motion that occurs can only be up and down and at the ankle.
Dorsiflexion (upward) and plantar flexion (downward).
Approximate “normal” dorsiflexion is 20°/plantarflexion 45°
Dorsiflexion
Plantar flexion
Divides the body or parts of the body into anterior and posterior.
When referring to the foot and using the plantar surface as a reference point, the
motion that occurs is inversion and eversion.
Inversion is turning the plantar surface of the foot toward the body. Range of Motion is
normally 20 degrees and only 4-6 degrees is needed for normal gait.
Eversion is turning of the plantar surface away from the body. Range of Motion is
normally 10 degrees and only 4-6 degrees is needed for normal gait.
Divides the body into upper and lower.
Rotation of the foot away from the midline (abduction) or towards the midline
(adduction).
Ad-duction
Neutral
Ab-duction
Varus is the term for a deformity of bone or bones of the leg or foot. Varus
of the foot is where part of the foot or the whole foot is inverted.
Varus is a structural deformity while inversion is an anatomical position.
Hallux Varus
Valgus is the term for a deformity of a bone or bones of the leg or foot.
Valgus of the foot is where part of the foot or the whole foot is everted.
Valgus is a structural deformity while eversion is an anatomical position.
Heel Valgus/Eversion
Hallux abducto-valgus
Pronation is a tri-planar motion
consisting of:
Supination is a tri-planar
motion consisting of:
Dorsiflexion in the Sagittal Plane
Eversion in the Frontal Plane
Abduction in the Transverse Plane
Plantar Flexion in the Sagittal
Plane
Inversion in the Frontal Plane
Adduction in the Transverse
Plane
Unilateral—Affecting either the right side of the body or the left.
Bilateral—Affecting both the right and left sides of the body.
Ambulation—to walk or move about.
Gait—walk
3 arches of a foot:
1). Medial Longitudinal
Lateral Longitudinal
2.) Lateral Longitudinal 3.) Transverse
Medial Longitudinal
Transverse Arch
Three types of arches:
1. Pes Rectus—a foot with a normal arch
2. Pes Planus—flatfoot; a condition in which the arch has not
developed normally and is flat.
3. Pes Cavus—a foot with a high arch which does not flatten
with weightbearing; weight is generally distributed to the lateral
side of the foot.
Instep-portion of the
foot, or shoe upper, Instep
over the midfoot
Waist-measurement
located between the
ball and instep
Ball-width of the foot
(or sole) near the
metatarsal heads
Waist
Ball