Anatomical Terms, Planes, and Movements

Vocabulary flashcards covering anatomical position, planes, axes, directional terms, body cavities, regions, and joint movements.

Anatomical Position

A standardized position where a person stands upright facing forward with arms hanging at the sides, palms facing forward, legs parallel, and feet flat on the floor facing forward.

Frontal Plane

A vertical plane (also called coronal plane) that divides the body or an organ into anterior (front) and posterior (back) portions.

Sagittal Plane

A vertical plane that passes longitudinally through the body, dividing it into right and left portions.

Median Sagittal Plane

A vertical plane passing longitudinally through the midline of the body, dividing it into equal right and left halves.

Parasagittal Plane

A vertical plane parallel to the median plane that divides the body into unequal right and left portions.

Transverse Plane

A horizontal plane (also called axial plane) that divides the body or an organ into superior (upper) and inferior (lower) portions.

Sagittal Axis

An axis running from front to back, about which movements in the frontal plane occur.

Frontal Axis

An axis running from side to side, about which movements in the sagittal plane occur.

Longitudinal Axis

A vertical axis extending top to bottom, about which movements in the transverse plane occur.

Longitudinal Section

A section cut along the long axis of the body or a body structure.

Transverse Section

A cross-sectional cut made perpendicular to the long axis of a body part or organ.

Oblique Section

A slice cut at an angle that is not parallel to either the longitudinal or transverse plane.

Anterior (Ventral)

Positioned toward or facing the front surface of the body.

Posterior (Dorsal)

Positioned toward or facing the back surface of the body.

Superior (Cranial/Rostral)

Positioned closer to the head or upper body.

Inferior (Caudal)

Positioned closer to the feet or lower body.

Medial

Located closer to the median plane or midline of the body.

Lateral

Located farther away from the median plane or midline of the body.

Proximal

Located closer to the origin of a structure or the attachment point of a limb.

Distal

Located farther from the origin of a structure or the attachment point of a limb.

Superficial

Located closer to the surface of the body.

Deep

Located farther away from the surface of the body.

Ipsilateral

Occurring on or affecting the same side of the body.

Contralateral

Occurring on or affecting the opposite side of the body.

Bilateral

Occurring on or affecting both right and left sides of the body.

Unilateral

Occurring on or affecting only one side of the body.

Palmar

Pertaining to the anterior surface of the hand (the palm).

Plantar

Pertaining to the inferior surface or sole of the foot.

Diaphragm

A muscular structure that closes the inferior thoracic aperture, separating the thoracic cavity from the abdominopelvic cavity.

Thoracic Cavity

The chest cavity bound inferiorly by the diaphragm, containing the right and left pulmonary spaces as well as the superior and inferior mediastinum.

Abdominopelvic Cavity

The large body cavity located inferior to the diaphragm, containing the abdominal cavity and pelvic cavity.

Abdominal Quadrants

Four clinical divisions of the abdomen (upper right, upper left, lower right, lower left) formed by the intersection of the transumbilical plane and median plane at the umbilicus.

Subcostal Line

A transverse line drawn through the L1 level at the inferior border of the 10th costal cartilage, serving as a boundary for the 9 abdominal regions.

Transtubercular Line

A transverse line drawn through the iliac tubercles at the L5 level, serving as a boundary for the 9 abdominal regions.

Axillary Region

The anatomical region corresponding to the armpit.

Cubital Fossa

The anatomical region located at the anterior surface of the elbow.

Popliteal Fossa

The anatomical region located at the posterior aspect of the knee.

Abduction

Movement in the frontal plane away from the midline of the body, hand, or foot.

Adduction

Movement in the frontal plane toward the midline of the body, hand, or foot.

Inversion

Frontal plane movement of the foot that tilts the sole inward toward the median plane.

Eversion

Frontal plane movement of the foot that tilts the sole outward away from the median plane.

Flexion

A sagittal plane movement that decreases the angle between bones or body parts.

Extension

A sagittal plane movement that increases the angle between bones or body parts, usually straightening them.

Dorsiflexion

Flexion at the ankle joint that lifts the dorsal surface of the foot superiorly toward the shin.

Plantarflexion

Flexion at the ankle joint that moves the foot or toes downward toward the ground.

Medial Rotation

Rotation around the longitudinal axis that turns the anterior surface of a limb toward the midline of the body.

Lateral Rotation

Rotation around the longitudinal axis that turns the anterior surface of a limb away from the midline of the body.

Protraction

Anterolateral movement of a body part, such as pushing the shoulder forward.

Retraction

Posteromedial movement of a body part, such as pulling the shoulder backward toward the spine.

Elevation

Superior movement of a structure, such as raising the shoulders upward.

Depression

Inferior movement of a structure, such as lowering the shoulders downward.

Circumduction

A circular movement that combines flexion, extension, abduction, and adduction sequentially.

Opposition

A specialized movement bringing the pad of the thumb into contact with the pad of another digit.

Reposition

The movement returning the thumb from a position of opposition back to its anatomical position.

Compound Movement

Motion created by using multiple muscle groups collaboratively to execute a complex multi-joint action.