GLOSSARY

Anatomical terminology is the standard, precise language used to describe the location, direction, movement, and structures of the body.
Most of these terms have Latin or Greek roots, and their official list is defined in the international reference Terminologia Anatomica.

Main Groups

• Directional terms: such as anterior, posterior, medial, lateral, proximal, and distal.
• Regional terms: such as cervical, lumbar, brachial, and femoral regions.
• Planes and axes: such as the sagittal plane and the longitudinal axis.
• Movement terms: such as flexion, extension, abduction, and rotation.

Relevance to Sport

Instead of the vague “pain above the knee, a bit over here,” a physiotherapist says “pain on the anteromedial knee, distal to the patella”; this precision ensures that the doctor, coach, and therapist all understand exactly the same thing.

Key Teaching Point

All of these terms are defined relative to the anatomical position, regardless of whether the athlete is standing, lying down, or jumping at that moment.