Ch. 3.2: The Frontal Plane

The Frontal plane runs from side to side and divides the body into front and back sides. The motions in this plane, and around its axis, are abduction and adduction.

Written by

Willem Kramer

Published on

June 26, 2025

The frontal plane, also known as the coronal plane, runs side to side and splits the body into a front and a back. Its axis runs front to back and is called the sagittal axis.

Motions in this plane and around its axis are often, but not always, labelled as abduction and adduction

The motions of the frontal plane include:
  • Eversion and inversion of the ankle.
  • Superior and inferior glide of the pubic symphysis.
  • Superior and inferior glide of the sacroiliac.
  • Lateral flexion of the vertebral column.
  • Elevation and depression of the ribs (bucket-handle motion).
  • Elevation and depression of the shoulder girdle and the clavicle in particular.
  • Upward and downward rotation of the shoulder girdle and the scapula in particular.

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Author

Willem is a Netherlands-educated physiotherapist and a US-licensed massage therapist with over thirty years of experience working with professional athletes, entertainers, and executives. He presents a unique approach that questions the reliance on dissection anatomy in the education of soft-tissue therapists. Willem advocates for a holistic understanding of the body, emphasizing that all organ systems are interconnected and interdependent. His insights offer both practitioners and enthusiasts a fresh perspective on musculoskeletal health.

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