What is the coronal (frontal) plane?

• A. Divides the front (anterior) and back (posterior)
• B. Divides the left and right halves
• C. Divides the upper and lower halves
• D. Runs horizontally through the body

Answer: (A)

The coronal (frontal) plane is a vertical plane that runs from head to toe and divides the body into front (anterior) and back (posterior) portions. It’s the plane used to describe motions that move parts toward or away from the midline, like raising a arm to the side (abduction) or bringing it back down (adduction), because those movements occur in a front-to-back orientation. For comparison, a cut that separates left from right is the sagittal plane, a cut that separates upper from lower is the transverse (horizontal) plane, and the horizontal description refers to that same transverse division.