What plane and axis does plantar flexion and dorsiflexion occur in?
Plantar flexion and dorsiflexion occur in the sagittal plane and the frontal axis.
Plantar flexion and dorsiflexion occur in the sagittal plane around the mediolateral axis.
The sagittal plane divides the body into left and right halves, and movements in this plane occur along the anteroposterior axis (also known as the mediolateral axis). Plantar flexion refers to the movement of pointing the foot downwards, like when you stand on your tiptoes, while dorsiflexion refers to the movement of pulling the foot upwards towards the shin.
To understand this concept better, you can visualize yourself standing up straight. If you lift your toes up towards your shin, that is dorsiflexion. Conversely, if you stand on your tiptoes, that is plantar flexion. These movements primarily occur in the sagittal plane around the mediolateral (anteroposterior) axis.