1A - Biol 165 - General Terms Related to Positions, Comparison, and Movement in Anatomy

3 Areas of studying anatomy

Regional, systematic, clinical

Anatomical Position

position facing forward with palms facing forward.

Median Plane

divides the body into equal left and right halves

Sagittal plane

divides body into left and right at any pint (could be not equal)

Frontal (coronal) plane

vertical plane dividing the body or structure into anterior (front) and posterior (back) portions

Transverse (axial) plane

horizontal (cross-sectional) plane dividing the body into upper and lower portions

Longitudinal section

cut through the long axis of an organ

Transverse Section

cross section of a body part

oblique section

cuts made diagonally

Superficial

Nearer surface (ex. muscles are superficial to the bone)

Intermediate

Between superficial and deep (ex. muscle is intermediate between skin and bone)

Deep

Far from surface (bone is deep to arm muscle)

Medial

Closer to the median plane/ midline of the body or body part

Lateral

further away from the median plane/ midline of the body or body part

Posterior (dorsal)

Closer to the back (ex. the heel is posterior to the toes)

Inferior (caudal)

away from the head end or toward the lower part of a structure or the body; below or closer to feet (ex. the stomach is inferior to the heart or lungs)

Anterior (ventral)

Closer to the front (ex. the toes are anterior to the heel)

Distal

farther from the origin of a body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk

Proximal

Closer to the origin of the body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk

Dorsal (hand)

back of hand (Dorsum)

Palmar (hand)

Palm of hand (palm)

Dorsal (feet)

top of foot (Dorsum)

Plantar (feet)

sole of foot (sole)

Flexion

Bending a joint at the shoulder, hip, elbow, knee or vertebral column forward.

Extension

Bending a joint at the shoulder, hip, elbow, knee or vertebral column backward.

Flexion (hand)

Bending the wrist or digit joint upwards.

Extension (hand)

Bending the wrist or digit joint downwards.

Abduction and adduction (2nd, 4th and 5th digits )

movement away/into from midline of the 2nd, 4th and 5th digits.

Lateral Abduction and Medial Adduction (3ed finger/ middle finger)

movement from left to right towards the median or lateral positions.

Abduction and Adduction in sagittal plane (hand)

Movement up and down of the thumb.

Extension and Flexion in Frontal plane (hand)

Movement away and towards the median.

Abduction

Shoulder or hip joint movement away from the body medial.

Adduction

Shoulder or hip joint movement towards the body medial.

Medial rotation

rotation towards the medial (center) of the leg or arm.

Lateral rotation

rotation away from the medial (center) of the leg arm.

Circumduction

the circular movement at the far end of a limb.

Dorsiflexion

bending of the foot or the toes upward at the ankle joint.

Plantarflexion

Ankle movement pointing the foot downward at the ankle joint.

Eversion

turning the sole of the foot outward.

Inversion

Turning the sole of the foot inward.

Lateral Bending

when the trunk, neck or head moves sideways

Elevation

raising shoulders

Depression

lowering (depressing) shoulders

Retrusion

movement of the jaw backwards at the temporomandibular joints.

Protrusion

movement of the jaw forwards at the temporomandibular joints.

Protraction

moving scapula on thoracic wall forward

moving scapula on thoracic wall backwards