Human Body and Directional Terms

Head and Neck

• forehead

• temples

• eyes

• nose

• cheeks

• mouth

• ears

• whole neck area

Front of Trunk / Anterior

• chest

• diaphragm

• abdomen

• navel

Back of Trunk / Posterior

• shoulder blades

• middle back

• lower back

Arms

• upper arm

• elbow

• forearm

• wrist

• hands

• fingers

Legs

• thigh

• knee

• lower leg (shin in front, calf at the back)

• ankle

• foot

• sole (heel, ball)

• toes

Shoulder Girdle / Pectoral

connects arm to trunk

Hip Girdle / Pelvic

connects leg to trunk

Anatomical Landmarks

biologically meaningful points or loci in the human body that are clear and unambiguously defined; these can be located repeatedly with high degree of accuracy and precision

Anatomical Position

• standard position and frame of reference for medical professionals and students to accurately identify and communicate about body parts and spatial relationships

• individual standing upright, facing forward, with arms hanging at the sides and head, eyes, and palms facing forward; feet are together with toes pointing forward

Midline

line at the center that divides the figure into the left and right side

Medial

towards the midline of the body

Lateral

away from the midline of the body

Proximal

area of limb toward the attached end of the limb, origin of the structure, or midline of the body

Distal

portion away from the attached end of the limb, origin of the structure, or midline of the body

Anterior / Ventral

toward the front or abdominal surface of the body

Posterior / Dorsal

toward the back of the body

Superior / Cephalic

toward the top/head

Inferior / Caudal

away from the top/head

Parietal

pertaining to the outer boundary of body cavities

Visceral

pertaining to the internal organs

Superficial / External

toward or on the body surface

Deep / Internal

away from the body surface

Central

at or near the center of the body or organ

Peripheral

external to or away from the center of the body or organ

Transverse or Horizontal Planes

• divide the body into superior and inferior positions

• perpendicular to the longitudinal axis

Median or Midsagittal or Sagittal Planes

• passes through the midline of the body

• divides the body into equal left and right

Front or Coronal Planes

divides the body into anterior and posterior positions

Planes of Motion

• movement following along the planes

• movement parallel to a line fall within its plane

Forward-Backward Movements

movements occur within sagittal plane

Side-to-Side Movements

movements fall within coronal or frontal plane

Rotation

• movements occur within transverse plane

• internal (inward) or external (outward) turning about the vertical axis of the bone

Axes

• imaginary lines around which body parts rotate within specific planes

• either runs through a plane or is perpendicular or runs along a plane and is parallel

Longitudinal Axis

• vertical

• like a pole running through the body’s center from head to feet

• rotational movement

• spin in figure skating or a twist of torso

Sagittal Axis

• horizontal

• runs from front to back

• side-to-side movements

• cartwheel or raising arms to the side

Transverse Axis

• also horizontal but runs from side to side

• forward and backward movement

• somersault or bending of knees

• Transverse Plane

• Longitudinal Axis

dancer’s pirouette spin — body

• __ Plane

• __ Axis

• Coronal Plane

• Sagittal Axis

jumping jacks — arms and legs

• __ Plane

• __ Axis

• Sagittal Plane

• Transverse Axis

legs of a cyclist

• __ Plane

• __ Axis

Sagittal Plane

three primary movements that occur in this plane are flexion, extension, and hyperextension, and dorsiflexion, and plantarflexion

Flexion

• anteriorly directed sagittal plane rotations

• decreasing the angle between two bones

Extension

• movement that returns a body segment to anatomical position from a position of flexion

• increasing the angle between two bones

Hyperextension

rotation beyond anatomical position in the direction opposite the direction of flexion

Frontal Plane

the major rotational movements of this plane are abduction and adduction, but it also includes lateral flexion, elevation and depression, inversion and eversion, and radial and ulnar deviation

Transverse Plane

body movements in this plane are rotational movements about a longitudinal axis; it include left and right rotation, medial and lateral rotation, supination and pronation, and horizontal abduction and adduction

Abduction

• to take away

• motion away from the midline of the body (or part)

Adduction

• to bring back

• motion toward the midline of the body (or part)

Dorsiflexion

• bending at the ankle so that the toes point upward

• moving the top of the foot toward the shin (only at the ankle joint)

Plantarflexion

• bending at the ankle so that the toes point downward

• moving the sole of the foot downward; “pointing the toes” (only at the ankle)

Eversion

• turning at the ankle so that the sole of the foot faces outward

• lifting the lateral border of the foot (only at the subtalar joint)

Inversion

• turning at the ankle so that the sole of the foot faces inward

• lifting the medial border of the foot (only at the subtalar joint)

Pronation

• combination of dorsiflexion, eversion, and abduction

• rotating the hand and wrist medially from the elbow

Supination

• combination of plantar-flexion, inversion, and adduction

• rotating the hand and wrist laterally from the elbow

Hip Joint

• ball-socket joint

• capable of a large range of motion in multiple planes of movement

• flexion/extension, adduction/abduction, internal/external rotation

Adduction

thigh moves inward toward the midline

Abduction

thigh moves away from the midline

External Rotation

thigh rotates outward

Internal Rotation

thigh rotates inward

Leg Extension

thigh extends backward, straightening the body at the hip

Leg Flexion

thigh moves forward, bending the body at the hip

Spine

• provides structural support for the upper body and transfers loads between lower and upper body

• capable of flexion, extension, rotation, side flexion, and combination of these

Spine Extension

bending at the waist to move the torso backward

Spine Flexion

bending at the waist to move torso forward

Spine Side Flexion

bending the trunk to the right or left from the midline

Spine Rotation

turning the trunk to the right or left on the midline

Knee

• primarily a modified hinge joint

• sustains loads of up to 10 times body weight during running

• flexion and extension are the main movements

• also capable of some adduction/abduction and external/internal rotation

Knee Flexion

bending at the knee, which decreases the joint angle

Knee Extension

straightening at the knee, which increases the joint angle

Cervical

regional term referring to the neck

Thoracic

• regional term referring to the portion of the body between the neck and the abdomen

• chest

Lumbar

regional term referring to the portion of the back between abdomen and pelvis

Plantar

sole or bottom of the feet

Dorsal

top surface of the feet or hands

Palmar

anterior or ventral surface of hands

• Flexion

• Extension

• Dorsiflexion

• Plantarflexion

actions of sagittal plane

• Abduction

• Adduction

• Elevation

• Depression

• Inversion

• Eversion

actions of frontal plane

• Rotation

• Pronation

• Supination

• Horizontal Flexion / Adduction

• Horizontal Extension / Abduction

actions of transverse plane

• Circumduction

• Opposition

multiplanar actions

Circumduction

motion that describes a ‘cone’; combines flexion, extension, abduction, and adduction in sequence

Opposition

thumb movement unique to humans and primates

Horizontal Flexion / Adduction

from a 90-degree abducted shoulder or hip position, the humerus or femur, respectively, is flexed (adducted) toward the midline of the body in the transverse plane

Horizontal Extension / Abduction

the return of the humerus or femur from the horizontal flexion (adduction)

Elevation

moving to a superior position (only at the scapula)

Depression

moving to an inferior position (only at the scapula)