Human Anatomy: Positions, Directional Terms, Planes, and Movements

A collection of vocabulary flashcards defining key directional terms, anatomical planes, body movements, and anatomical positions from the human anatomy lecture.

Anatomical position

Position where the body is standing erect with eyes looking straight front, upper limbs at the sides facing forward (palms), and lower limbs together pointing forward.

Anterior

Towards the front of the body (ventral).

Posterior

Towards the back of the body (dorsal).

Superior

Nearer to the head (cranial).

Inferior

Nearer to the feet (caudal).

Medial

Towards the median plane of the body.

Lateral

Away from the median plane.

Proximal

Nearer to the trunk.

Distal

Away from the trunk.

Superficial

Nearer to the surface of the body.

Deep

Farther to the surface.

Sagittal plane

Vertical imaginary plane that divides the body into equal left and right parts.

Coronal plane

Vertical imaginary plane that divides the body into equal front and back parts (anterior and posterior).

Transverse plane

Horizontal imaginary plane that divides the body into equal upper and lower parts.

Flexion

Movement resulting in decreasing the angle.

Extension

Movement resulting in increasing the angle.

Abduction

Movement away from the median.

Adduction

Movement towards the median.

Rotation

Movement around an axis.