Flexion of the elbow and supination of the forearm occur about what axes respectively?
Flexion of the elbow occurs about a transverse axis, and supination of the forearm occurs about a longitudinal axis.
To find the axes of flexion of the elbow and supination of the forearm, we need to understand the anatomical planes and axes of movement.
The three primary anatomical planes are the sagittal plane, the frontal (coronal) plane, and the transverse plane. Each plane has an associated axis of movement.
In the case of the elbow, flexion and extension occur in the sagittal plane around the transverse axis. This means that when you flex your elbow, the movement occurs as if you were opening and closing a door. The axis runs horizontally across the elbow joint, perpendicular to the sagittal plane.
On the other hand (no pun intended), supination of the forearm occurs in the transverse plane around the vertical axis. When you supinate your forearm, your palm turns upward, like when you hold a bowl of soup. The axis runs from top to bottom, perpendicular to both the sagittal and frontal planes.
So, to summarize:
- Flexion of the elbow occurs in the sagittal plane around the transverse axis.
- Supination of the forearm occurs in the transverse plane around the vertical axis.