What does the frontal plane do in relation to the body?

The frontal plane, also known as the coronal plane, is a vertical plane that divides the body into anterior (front) and posterior (back) sections. This plane runs parallel to the forehead and separates the body into these two distinct halves. Understanding the frontal plane is crucial in fields such as anatomy, rehabilitation, and physical therapy, as it helps professionals describe and analyze movements that occur in the body—specifically, movements that involve lateral motions (side-to-side) such as abduction and adduction of the limbs.

In this context, the other options refer to different planes of the body. The first choice pertains to the transverse plane, which divides the body into superior (upper) and inferior (lower) sections. The third choice describes the sagittal plane, which splits the body into left and right sections. The fourth option, while relevant to functional movement, does not accurately describe the primary purpose of the frontal plane—it does not create a reference for limb movement but rather describes where those movements occur in relation to the body's anterior and posterior sections.