Which type of movements typically happen in the transverse plane?

Movements in the transverse plane primarily involve rotational movements. This plane divides the body into upper and lower parts and allows for actions that rotate around the vertical axis of the body. Activities such as twisting the torso or moving the limbs in a circular motion exemplify these types of movements.

For example, when you perform a rotational movement like a golf swing or a shoulder twist, the motion occurs predominantly in the transverse plane. Understanding this helps to clarify how movements are categorized based on their orientation relative to the body's planes.

In contrast, flexion and extension occur in the sagittal plane, which divides the body into left and right. Abduction and adduction take place in the frontal plane, separating the body into front and back. Circumduction, though seemingly complex, is also a combination of movements that ultimately involves movement across multiple planes, but primarily represents a circular motion rather than a pure rotation. Therefore, rotational movements are the defining characteristic of the transverse plane.