Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX USA) Practice

What type of motion is characterized by lateral bending?

1. Coronal plane motion

2. Transverse plane motion

3. Sagittal plane motion

4. Vertical plane motion

The correct answer is: Coronal plane motion

Lateral bending refers to the side-to-side movement of the body, which occurs primarily in the coronal plane. This plane divides the body into anterior (front) and posterior (back) portions and is associated with movements that involve bending the torso or limbs side to side. When discussing the types of motions, movements in the coronal plane include actions such as abduction and adduction, as well as lateral flexion of the spine, which aligns directly with lateral bending. Understanding this is crucial because it emphasizes how different anatomical planes coordinate distinct types of motion, further underscoring the differentiation between lateral bending and motions classified under other planes, such as transverse or sagittal. The transverse plane mainly involves rotational movements, while the sagittal plane is associated with forward and backward movements, such as flexion and extension. Vertical plane motion is not commonly recognized in the same way as the three primary planes (coronal, transverse, sagittal) and does not specifically relate to lateral bending.