The slide shows what we can do, and how we describe it. Hand and foot again pose problems because of their distinctive orientation. The anatomical position of the hand is called supine, the reverse prone, so this movement is pronation reverse supination . Abduction and adduction of the digits are refereed to the axis of the hand or foot, which remember pass through the middle finger and the second toe. We also have a thumb problem.
Finger nails are posterior, but that of the thumb lies at right angles to the others.
The thumb normally lies with its palmar surface facing medially. Flexion and extension are thus in a coronal plane while abduction and adduction are sagittal. The thumb also has another important movement, opposition which brings its palmar surface in contact with the palmar surface of the fingers. The feet also bring problems, so we talk of dorsiflexion and plantar flexion and, a unique foot movement inversion and eversion as the soles are made to point towards each other or away. Variability in anatomy One important fact which an anatomist must recognise is that no two of us, even identical twins are exactly alike.