Positioning Related Terms (Planes, Relationship, Movement)

posterior - body surface

also known as?

back part of body

also known as dorsal

anterior - body surface

also known as?

front part of body

also known as ventral

plantar - body surface

sole/posterior portion of foot

"‘plant’ foot to ground” bottom part of foot

short line

dorsum (dorsal of foot) - body surface

top/anterior surface of foot

dorsum pedis

long line

dorsal (of hand) - body surface

back/posterior hand

palmar - body surface

anterior/ventral, palm of hand

medial vs lateral - relationship terms

medial = inside part, closet to medial aspect

lateral = outside part, away from center

proximal vs distal - relationship terms

proximal = near source

distal = away from source

cephalad vs caudad - relationship terms

cephalad = toward head end of body

caudad = away from head end of body

ipsilateral vs contralateral - relationship terms

ipsilateral = on same side of body/part, right pic

contralateral = on opposite side, left pic

internal vs external - relationship terms

internal = inside

external = situated near outside

superficial vs deep - relationship terms

superficial = near skin surface

deep = farther away

lordosis vs kyphosis (scoliosis) - relationship terms

lordosis = right pic, inward curve of spine mostly in lower back/lumbar area (swayback)

kyphosis = middle pic, outward curve of upper back/thoracic area (hunchback)

flexion vs extension

(acute flexion vs hyperextension)

flexion = decreases angle of joint (knee, elbow, wrist)

extension = increases angle as body parts moves from a flexed to straightened position

hyperextension = dorsiflexion = extending joint beyond straight/neutral position

acute = bending joint to max/near max capacity, significantly closing angle of joint

ulnar vs radial deviation

ulnar = turn/bend hand + wrist from natural position toward ulnar side (towards pinky side)

radial = turn/bend hand + wrist toward radial side (towards thumb side)

dorsiflexion vs plantar flexion

d = decrease angle bt dorsum + lower leg, moving foot + toes upward

p = extending ankle joint, moving foot + toes downward

eversion vs inversion

left: eversion (valgus stress) = outward stress movement of foot at ankle joint, toward lateral

right: inversion (varus stress) = inward stress movement, toward medial

(abnormal names)

medial vs lateral rotation

medial = movement toward inside, anterior part inward

lateral = movement toward outside, anterior toward outside

abduction vs adduction

ABduction = lateral movement away from body, “abducted by aliens, taken away”

ADduction = later movement towards body, “add to body”

supination vs pronation

supination = rotational movement of hand into anatomic position, “want soup, palm up”

pronation = rotational movement of hand into opposite anatomic position, palm dowm/back

protraction vs retraction

protraction = movement forward from normal position

retraction = movement backward from normal position, being drawn back

elevation vs depression

elevation = lifting, raising, moving part superiorly

e - shoulders raised, shrugging shoulders

depression = letting down, lowering, moving part inferiorly

tilt vs rotation

l: rotation = turn/rotate body part on its axis

r: tilt = slanting/tilting movement w respect to long axis

circumduction

move part round in form of circle, only possible w joints that can move in multiple ways (fingers, wrist, arm, leg)

longitudinal planes/sections

sections run lengthwise in direction of long axis of body or any of parts, taken in sagittal, coronal, oblique plane

sagittal plane

split right and left

midsagittal plane = divides left + right evenly/equally

green plane

coronal plane

splits anterior and posterior (front and back)

midcoronal plane = divides A/P evenly/equally

purple plane

horizontal/axial/transverse/cross section plane

splits superior and inferior (top and bottom)

transverse plane at right angle to longitudinal planes

blue plane

oblique plane

longitudinal/transverse plane that is at angle/slant

not parallel to sagittal, coronal, horizontal plane

orange plane

base plane

precise transverse plane that connects lines from infraorbital margins to superior margin of external auditory meatus EAM

occlusal plane

horizontal plane formed by biting surfaces of upper + lower teeth when jaw is closed

infraorbitomeatal line IOML

entering inferior part of orbitals exiting EAM