The muscle review and bone review have been placed in separate sections to allow for dedicated study when needed. This also makes it easier to track which lessons you’ve completed. All details on muscle locations, attachments, actions, and innervations are covered in the muscle review sections.

Key Definitions

Kinesiology – The scientific study of human movement, integrating principles from anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, and neuroscience. It examines how and why the body moves, including:

Anatomical structures involved in movement (muscles, bones, joints).
Physiological processes that produce movement (neuromuscular activation, metabolism).
Motor control and learning (how movement patterns develop and improve over time).

Biomechanics – The study of how forces affect movement and posture. In massage therapy, biomechanics helps practitioners understand joint function, leverage, body mechanics, ergonomics, and how massage techniques can improve movement patterns and reduce strain.

Physiological Movement – Natural, voluntary joint movements controlled by muscles. These movements are important for assessing range of motion and muscle function during a massage session.

Flexion and extension – Bending and straightening a joint (e.g., bending the elbow).
Rotation – Turning around an axis (e.g., rotating the neck).
Abduction and adduction – Moving a limb away from or toward the body’s midline.

Anatomical Position

The standard anatomical position is a universal reference position used to describe locations and movements in the body. In this position:

The person stands upright, facing forward.
The arms are at the sides, with palms facing forward.
The feet are hip-width apart and facing forward.

This consistent position allows for accurate descriptions of relative locations of body parts, regardless of orientation. For example, the head is always superior to the pelvis, whether the person is standing upright, lying down, or upside down.

(Directional terms will be covered in Kinesiology Lesson 2.)

Anatomical Planes

Anatomical planes are three-dimensional reference planes that divide the body. They help describe locations, movements, and axes of motion. Each plane has a perpendicular axis around which movement occurs. There are three cardinal planes:

Frontal Plane

Also called: Coronal or lateral plane
Divides the body into: Front (anterior) and back (posterior) sections
Axis of motion: Anterior-posterior axis (side-to-side motion)
Example movement: Jumping jacks (arms and legs moving sideways)

Sagittal Plane

Also called: Anteroposterior or AP plane
Divides the body into: Left and right
Axis of motion: Medial-lateral axis (front to back motion)
Example movement: Bending forward to touch your toes or performing a squat

The median (mid-sagittal) plane divides the body into equal left and right halves.

Transverse Plane

Also called: Axial or horizontal plane
Divides the body into: Upper (superior) and lower (inferior) sections
Axis of motion: Vertical axis (rotational motion)
Example movement: Spinal rotation (e.g., turning your head left and right)

Main Body Regions

The body is divided into regional terms to precisely describe locations of anatomical structures.

Head & Neck Region

Cephalic/Cranial – Head
Occipital – Base of the skull
Cervical – Neck

Upper Body

Clavicular – Clavicle (collarbone)
Sternal – Sternum (breastbone)
Scapular – Shoulder blade
Acromial – Anterior shoulder
Axillary – Armpit
Brachial – Upper arm
Cubital – Elbow
Antecubital – Front of the elbow
Antebrachium – Forearm
Carpal – Wrist

Torso & Core

Thoracic (Thorax) – Chest (rib cage)
Dorsal – Back
Lumbar – Lower back
Abdominal – Belly
Umbilical – Navel (belly button)
Inguinal – Groin
Pelvic – Pelvis/hip region

Lower Body

Patellar – Front of the knee
Popliteal – Back of the knee
Vertebral – Spine
Pedal – Foot

Kinesiology is the study of the principles and mechanics of body movement, including anatomy, physiology, neuromuscular function, and motor skills acquisition.

In anatomical position, the person is standing upright, facing forward, with arms at the sides, palms facing forward, fingers extended, legs straight, feet slightly apart, and toes pointing forward.

Anatomy is the study of the structure of an organism, including its muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, and other tissues.

Kinesiology is the study of how these structures function to produce movement.

Frontal (coronal) plane – Divides the body into front (anterior) and back (posterior) sections.
Sagittal plane – Divides the body into left and right sections.
Transverse (horizontal) plane – Divides the body into upper (superior) and lower (inferior) sections.

Frontal plane – Anterior-posterior axis (movement occurs side to side).
Sagittal plane – Medial-lateral axis (movement occurs front to back).
Transverse plane – Vertical axis (rotation occurs around a vertical line).

Frontal plane: Jumping jacks (arms and legs move side to side).
Sagittal plane: A squat or bicep curl (forward and backward movement).
Transverse plane: Rotating the spine (twisting movement).

Anatomical position provides a universal reference point for describing locations, directions, and movements in the body. This consistency ensures that terms like “superior” and “inferior” remain the same regardless of body orientation (e.g., standing vs. lying down). It also allows for standardized communication among health professionals, preventing confusion when referencing body structures.

Download your muscle tables here. Link will open a PDF in a new tab for you to save and/or print to study from.

Muscles of the Shoulder and Arm

Muscles of the Wrist and Hand

Muscles of the Hip and Thigh

Muscles of the Lower Leg, Ankle and Foot

Muscles of the Anterior Torso

Muscles of the Posterior Torso

Muscles of the Neck and Head

Previous Topic

Back to Lesson

Next Topic