The latissimus dorsi produces shoulder extension primarily in which plane?

The latissimus dorsi is a large muscle in the back that plays a crucial role in shoulder movements. When considering shoulder extension, this movement primarily occurs in the sagittal plane. The sagittal plane divides the body into right and left halves and is associated with forward and backward movements.

During shoulder extension, the upper arm moves backward relative to the trunk, which is characteristic of movements in the sagittal plane. This is important for actions such as reaching back, pulling, or performing specific exercises that involve extending the shoulder behind the body.

In contrast, the frontal plane involves side-to-side movements, the transverse plane deals with rotational movements, and the diagonal plane incorporates a combination of movements across different planes. None of these planes is primarily responsible for shoulder extension, making the sagittal plane the correct choice for this action involving the latissimus dorsi.