Describing the Human Body

1.1 Planes

Three imaginary planes are used to describe the body and its movements:

• sagittal plane (divides body into right and left halves)

• frontal plane (divides body into front and back halves)

• transverse plane (divides body into top and bottom halves).

1.2 Directions

• Directional terms describe relationships between body parts, such as superior (above) and inferior (below)

• Other paired directional terms:

  • Anterior or ventral: Toward the front of the body.

  • Posterior or dorsal: Toward the back of the body.

  • Medial: Toward the midline of the body.

  • Lateral: Away from the midline of the body.

  • Proximal: Closer to the origin of the body part.

  • Distal: Away from the trunk.

  • Superficial: Toward the surface of the body.

  • Deep: Away from the surface of the body.

 1.3 Regions of the body:

• Axial body:

  • Head and neck:

    • Cephalic region

    • Cervical region

    • Cranial region

    • Frontal region

    • Occipital region

    • Oral region

    • Orbital or ocular region

  • Thorax:

    • Axillary region

    • Deltoid region

    • Pectoral region

    • Scapular region

    • Sternal region

    • Vertebral region

  • Abdomen:

    • Abdominal region

    • Gluteal region

    • Lumbar region

    • Pelvic region

    • Pubic region

    • Sacral region

    • Appendicular body:

      • Upper extremity:

        • Antebrachial region

        • Antecubital region

        • Brachial region

        • Carpal region

        • Cubital region

        • Digital region

        • Manual region

        • Palmar region

      • Lower extremity:

        • Crural region

        • Femoral region

        • Patellar region

        • Pedal region

        • Plantar region

        • Popliteal region

        • Sural region

        • Tarsal region

1.4 Cavities

The human body has various cavities that hold internal organs, including the:

• posterior or dorsal body cavity (cranial and spinal cavities)

•  anterior or ventral body cavity (thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities)

• There are also smaller cavities like the oral, nasal, orbital, middle ear, and pleural cavities.