Anatomical Position & Terminology Flashcards
Describe the anatomical position
Standing erect
Head eyes and toes directed anteriorly
Upper limbs by their side with the palms facing anteriorly. The digits of the hand must be placed close together
Lower limbs close together, so that the heels are touching. The feet should be parallel, with the toes directed anteriorly
What are the anatomical planes?
Different lines used to divide the human body, whilst it is the anatomical position
What are the four anatomical planes?
Median plane
Saggital plane
Frontal plane
Transverse plane
What is the medial (mid-saggital) plane?
This is the vertical plane passing through the centre of the body, dividing it into equal left and right parts
What are the saggital planes?
These are vertical planes passing through the body parallel to the median plane, dividing it into left and right parts
What is the difference between the mid-saggital and saggital plane?
The saggiata planes done pass through the centre of the body
What are the frontal planes?
These are vertical planes passing through the body at right angles to the median plane, dividing it into anterior (front) and posterior (back) portions
What are the transverse planes?
These are horizontal planes passing through the body, dividing the body into superior and inferior parts
What does superior mean?
Nearer to head
What does inferior mean?
Nearer to feet
What does anterior mean?
Nearer to front
What does posterior mean?
Nearer to back
What does medial mean?
Nearer to median plane
What does lateral mean?
Further from median plane
What does proximal mean?
Nearer to trunk
What does distal mean?
Further from trunk
What does superficial mean?
Nearer to the surface
What does deep mean?
Further from the surface
What does dorsal mean?
Nearer the back of the body
What does ventral mean?
Nearer the front of the body
What does cranial mean?
Nearer to head
What does caudal mean?
Further from the head
What does palmar mean?
This is specifically used to refer to the hands. It means that the hand is facing anteriorly (towards the front)
What does dorsal mean when referring to the hands?
It means that the hand is facing posteriorly (towards the back)
What does plantar mean?
This is specifically used to refer to the feet. It is another term used to refer to the sole of the feet, which is the inferior surface of the foot.
What does dorsal mean when referring to the feet?
It is another term used to refer to the dorsum of the feet, which is the superior surface of the foot.
What are compound descriptors? What do they describe?
Two spatial terms combined
To describe intermediate positional arrangements
What does superolateral mean?
This is a combination of the terms superior and lateral, which therefore means nearer to the head and further from the medial plane
What does inferomedial mean?
This is a combination of the terms inferior and medial, which therefore means nearer to the feet and closer to the medial plane
What are the four terms which are used to describe laterality?
Bilateral
Unilateral
Ipsilateral
Contralateral
What does bilateral mean?
This term is used to refer to both sides of the body
What does unilateral mean?
This term is used to refer to one side of the body
What does ipsilateral mean?
This term means on the same side of the body
For example, the right thumb and right great toe are ipsilateral
What does contralateral?
This term means on the opposite side of the body
For example, the right hand is contralateral to the left hand
What is flexion?
This is a bending movement around a joint that decreases the angle between the bones of the limb and the joint
In other words, it’s a movement that makes two ventral (anterior) surfaces closer with each other
What is extension?
This is a vending movement around a joint that increases the angle between the bones of the limb and the joint
In other words, it’s a movement that makes two anterior surfaces further apart
What is supination?
This is rotational movement of the radius bone in the arm, which moves the palm to the anterior facing position
What is pronation?
This is rotational movement of the hand and the upper arm, which moves the palm to the posterior facing position
What is abduction?
This is a movement that moves the limbs away from the midline of the body
What is adduction?
This is a movement that brings the limbs towards the midline of the body
What is lateral rotation?
This is rotating movement away from the midline of the body
What is medial rotation?
This is rotating movement towards the midline of the body
What is circumduction?
This is a combination of flexion, extension, abduction and adduction. In other words, circular movement of a limb
What is inversion?
This is a movement in which the sole of the foot rotates towards the midline of the body, in other words it turns inwards
What is eversion?
This is a movement in which the sole of the foot rotates away from the midline of the body, in other words it turns outwards
What is dorsiflexion?
This is a backwards flexion of the hand or foot. This means that it is the same as extension
What is plantarflexion?
This is a backwards extension of the hand or foot. This means that it is the same as flexion
What are the eight regions of the body?
Head
Neck
Thorax
Back
Abdomen
Pelvis
Lower limb
Upper limb
What makes up the upper limb?
Upper limb girlde
Shoulder
Arm
Elbow
Forearm
Wrist
Hand
What makes up the lower limb?
Lower limb girdle
Thigh
Knee
Leg
Ankle
Foot
What are cavities of the body?
Sections of the body which contain internal organs or viscera
What are the two main cavities?
Ventral
Dorsal
What is the ventral cavity?
A cavity which contains organs in the ventral position of the body
What structure divides the ventral cavity into two?
The diaphragm
What are the three subdivisions of the ventral cavity?
Pleural cavity
Pericardial cavity
Abdominopelvic cavity
What are the pleural and pericardial cavities referred to as?
The thorax cavity
What organ does the pleural cavity contain?
Lungs
What organ does the pericardial cavity contain?
Heart
List four organs that the abdominopelvic cavity contains
Kidneys
Urinary bladder
Stomach
Uterus
What is the dorsal cavity?
A cavity which contains organs in the dorsal portion of the body
What are the two subdivisions of the dorsal cavity?
Cranial cavity
Spinal cavity
What organ does the cranial cavity contain?
Brain
What organ does the spinal cavity contain?
Spine
