Chapter 7 Anatomy, Physiology, And Medical Terminology

Anatomy

Refers to the structure of the body an the relationship of its parts to each other (how the body is made)

Physiology

Refers to the function of the living body and it's parts (how the body works)

Use the correct terms

What can you do to minimize confusion and help to communicate the exact extent of a patients problem based on a carful physical assessment?

Anatomical position

The patient is standing erect, facing forward, with arms down at the sides and palms forward. Basic position used as a point of reference whenever terms of direction and location are used.

Supine

Patient lying on his back face up

Prone

Patient lying face down on his stomach

Lateral recumbent (recovery) position

Patient lying on his left or right side. Should be rotated every 30 minutes in order to keep blood flow to lower arm

Fowler position

Patient lying on his bak with his upper body elevated at an angle of 45-60 degrees

Semi fowler position

Patient is lying on his back with the upper body elevated at an angle of less than 45 degrees

Trendelenburg position

Patient is lying on his back with his legs elevated higher than the head and body on an inclined plane (head down, legs up) used to be for shock management but no longer recommended. Not for a patient with a suspected spine injury

Shock position

Only the feet and legs are elevated approximately 12" no longer recommended for treatment of shock. Used for a patient that has simply fainted. Not used for spinal injuries

Anatomical planes

Imaginary divisions of the body. Indicate the internal body structure and the relationship of different groups of organs to others

Sagittal plane

Median plane, a vertical plane that runs lengthwise and divides the body into right and left segments. Do not have to be equal,

Midsagittal plane

If the plane divides the body into two equal halves it is called the

Frontal or coronal plane

Divides the body into front and back halves

Transverse or horizontal plane

Parallel with the ground and divides the body into upper and lower halves. Also referred to as the axial plane

Midline

Normal anatomical position, imaginary line drawn in the middle of the body starting at the top of the head and continuing down through the nose and naval and to the ground between the legs. Corresponds with midsagittal plane

Midaxillary line

Patient standing profile, draw an imaginary line from the armpit down to the ankle. A vertical line drawn side to side through the body from the midaxilary line on the opposite side forms the frontal plane and divides the body into the anterior plane and posterior plane

Anterior plane

The patients front

Posterior plane

The patients back

Transverse line

Normal anatomical position, draw an imaginary line horizontally through the patients waist. This divides the body into superior plane and inferior plane

Superior plane

Above the waist

Inferior plane

Below the waist

Anterior

To the front

Posterior

To the back

Superior

Toward the head or above the point of reference

Inferior

Toward the feet or below the point of reference

Dorsal

Toward the back or backbone (spine)

Ventral

Towards the front or the belly (abdomen)

Medial

Toward the midline or center of the body

Lateral

Refers to re left or right of the midline or away from the midline of the body.

Bilateral

Refers to both left and right meaning "on both sides"

Unilateral

Refers to one side.

Ipsilateral

Refers to the same side

Contralateral

To the opposite side

Proximal

Near the point of reference

Distal

Far from the point of reference

Right and left

Always refers to the patients right and left

Midclavicular

Refers to the center of each of the collarbones (clavicle). Extends from the center of either collarbone down the anterior thorax

Plantar

Refers to sole of the foot

Palmar

Refers to the palm of the hand

Abdominal quadrants

Right upper quadrants (RUQ), right lower quadrants (RLQ), left upper quadrant (LUQ), lower left quadrant (LLQ)

Musculoskeletal system

The system of bones and muscle plus connective tissue that provides support and protection to the body and permits motion. Strong to provide support and protection, jointed to permit motion, and flexible to withstand stress

Ligaments

Connect bone to bone

Tendons

Connect muscles to bone

4 functions of the skeletal system

Giving the body it's shape, protecting the vital internal organs, allowing movement, storing minerals and producing blood cells

Name the six components of the skeletal system

The skull, spinal column, thorax, pelvis, and the upper and lower extremities

Bones of the adult skeleton are classified by what?

Shape and size, long, short, flat, irregular

Skull

Rests at the top of the spinal column and houses and protects the brain. Consists of 2 parts the cranium and the face

Cranium

Forms the top, back, and sides of the skull plus the forehead and has interlocking bones. Outer layer is thick and tough, the inner layer is thinner and more brittle. Provides maximum strength, lightness and elasticity

Face

The area between the brow an the chin. It has 14 bones, 13 of which are immovable and interlocking. Immovable bones are the eyes, nose, cheeks, and mouth

Occipital, two parietal, two temporal, and the frontal

What are the interlocking bones of the forehead?

Orbits

The eye sockets

Nasal bones

The bed of the nose

Maxilla

Fused bones of the upper jaw

Zygomatic bones

Cheekbones

Mandible

Lower jaw. Moves freely on joint hinges. Shaped like a horseshoe it is the largest and strongest bone of the face

Spinal column

Also known as the vertebral column, the principal support system of the body. Ribs originate from it to the thoracic cavity. The rest of the human skeleton is directly or indirectly attached here

Vertebrae

Irregularly shaped blocks of bone. Bound together by ligaments

Intervertebral disks

Fluid filled pad of tough elastic cartilage between each vertebrae. Act as shock absorbers and allow movement of the spine. Improper lifting causes injury to these

The spinal column is composed of _____ vertebrae

33

Cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and the coccyx

The spinal column is divided into what five parts?

Cervical spine

C1-C7 (neck) the first seven vertebrae. Most prone to injury

Thoracic spine

T1-T12, upper back, the 12 vertebrae that are directly inferior to the cervical spine from the upper back. Their are 12 pairs of ribs attached to the spine posteriorly and help support the vertebrae.

Lumbar spine

L1-L5, lower back, the next five vertebrae from the lower back, least mobile of vertebrae. Most injuries here involve muscles not vertebrae

Sacral spine

S1-S5 back wall of the pelvis, the next five vertebrae that are fuses together to form the rigid part of the posterior side of the pelvis

Coccyx

Tailbone, the last four vertebrae are fused together and do not have the protrusions characteristic of the other vertebrae.

Thorax

Chest, composed of the ribs, the sternum, and the thoracic spine.

Ribs

24 semi flexible arches of bone, arranged in 12 pairs and attached posteriorly by ligaments to the 12 thoracic vertebrae.

True ribs

The first seven ribs that are attached to the sternum by cartilage.

False ribs

The last five pairs of ribs only attached to the pairs above them with cartilage. Floating ribs are the last 2 pairs

Manubrium

The superior portion of the sternum

Body

Middle segment of the sternum where ribs are attached

Xiphoid process

The inferior portion of the sternum

Pelvis

A doughnut shaped structure that consist of several bones, including the sacrum and coccyx. Forms the floor of the abdominal cavity.

Iliac crest

At each side of the pelvis. Forms wings of the pelvis

Pubis

Is in the anterior and inferior portion of the pelvis

Ischium

Is in the posterior and inferior portion

Pelvic cavity

Supports the intestines and houses the bladder, rectum, and internal reproductive organs

Extremities

The limbs of the body, the arms and legs, are known as

Lower extremities

Legs from the hip to the toes

Hip joint

The lateral aspect of each hip.

Acetabulum

The pelvic socket that makes up the hip joint

Femur

Thighbone, has a rounded top, or head, that fits into the acetabulum. The bottom is flat with two projections that help to form the hinged knee joint.

Knee and elbow joint

Allows for angular movement only

Patella

Kneecap, Protects and stabilizes the knee joint, small triangular shaped bone. Usually receives the force of falls or blows to the knee and is often bruises and can fracture

Tibia

Shin bone, weight bearing bone located at the anterior and medial side of the leg. Has a broad upper surface that receives the rounded end of the distal femur to form the knee joint. Smaller distal end forms the medial malleolus of the ankle.

Fibula

Attached to the tibia at the top and is located at the lateral side of the leg parallel to the tibia. Bony prominences at the end help form the ankle joint socket

Malleolus

The knobby surface landmarks of the ankle joint. Medial an lateral.

Calcaneus

Heel bone

Tarsals

A group of bone, including the calcaneus, that make up the proximal portion of the foot

Metatarsals

There are 5 of these that form the substance of the foot.

Phalanges

14 on each foot to form toes. Two in the big toe and three in each other toe

Upper extremities

Upper limbs including the shoulders, arms, forearms, wrists, and hands

Scapula

Shoulder blade.

Acromion

The tip of the shoulder grid

Shoulder grid

Each clavicle and scapula form this. The muscles of this area help attach the arms to the trunk and extend from it to the arms, thorax, neck, and head

Humerus

The proximal portion of the arm. Largest bone in the upper extremity. Shaft roughly cylindrical, upper end is round, lower end is flat. Round head fits Ito a shallow cup in the shoulder blade, forming a ball and socket joint

Ball and socket joint

Most freely movable and easily dislocated joint in the body. Permits the widest range of motion. Examples are at the shoulders and hips

Elbow joint

Made up of the distal end of the humerus plus the proximal ends of the radius and ulna.