Anatomical Language Flashcards
What does bipedal stance mean?
Upright (2 legged)
What does superior mean?
Higher / above
e.g nose is superior to the mouth
What does inferior mean?
Lower / below
e.g. stomach is inferior to the heart
What does cranial mean?
Towards the head
e.g. neck is cranial to the trunk
What does caudal mean?
Towards the tail
What does rostral mean?
Towards the nose
e.g. nose is rostral to the ears
What does anterior mean?
Towards the front
e.g. sternum is anterior to the thoracic vertebra
cornea is anterior to the lens
What does posterior mean?
Towards the back
e.g. oesophagus is posterior to the trachea
vitreous chamber = posterior to the lense
What does ventral mean?
Towards the front
e.g. sternum = ventral to the spine
What does dorsal mean?
Towards the back
e.g. Spine is dorsal to the sternum
What does palmar mean?
Describes the palm of the hand / anterior surface of manus.
e.g. palmar digital arteries supply blood to the palmar aspect of the digits
What does plantar mean?
Sole of the foot
e.g. the plantar surface of metatarsal bone contacts the ground in humans
What does proximal mean?
Part of a limb closer to the body
e.g. humerus = proximal to the carpus
What does distal mean?
Part of a limp further away from the body
e.g. Phalanges = distal to the radius
What does lateral mean?
Away from the midline
e.g. Eyes = lateral to the nose
What does medial mean?
Towards the midline
e.g. sternum = medial to humerus
What does superficial mean?
On the surface
e.g. skin of the thigh = superficial to femur
What does deep mean?
Away from the surface
e.g. biceps brachii muscle is deep to the skin of
the branchium
What is a sagittal plane?
The body divided into equal left and right halves down the midline sections parallel are described as para-sagittal
What is a frontal / coronal plane?
Divides the body into anterior and posterior parts
What is a transverse plane?
Divides the body into superior and inferior parts
What is abduction?
movement of the limb away from the mid line
What is adduction?
Movement of the limb towards the midline
What is protraction?
Movement of limb in an anterior direction (towards front)
