What kind of axis is involved in motion associated with lateral flexion?

Lateral flexion refers to the side-bending motion of the trunk or neck, where the body bends to the side. This type of movement occurs around an axis that is perpendicular to the plane in which the motion occurs. For lateral flexion, the motion takes place in the coronal plane (also known as the frontal plane), which divides the body into anterior (front) and posterior (back) sections.

The axis that is aligned with lateral flexion is the Z axis. The Z axis runs vertically from the top of the body to the bottom and is perpendicular to both the sagittal (which divides the body into left and right) and the transverse (which divides the body into upper and lower) planes. Hence, lateral flexion occurs around this vertical Z axis, allowing for the bending motion to happen side to side.

Understanding the significance of the Z axis is crucial when analyzing human movement patterns, especially in clinical biomechanics, where accurate identification of kinematic axes guides interventions and assessments related to posture, balance, and functional movement.