Anatomical Positioning Flashcards
What is FLEXION?
Decreasing the angle of the joint, bending the joint.
What is EXTENSION?
Increasing the angle of the joint, extending.
What is DORSIFLEXION?
Decreasing the angle of the ankle joint.
What is PLANTARFLEXION?
Increasing the angle of the ankle joint.
What is ELEVATION?
Moving a body part in a superior (upwards) motion.
What is DEPRESSION?
Moving a body part in an inferior (downwards) motion.
What is EVERSION?
Rotating the ankle so the sole of the foot points away from the other.
What is INVERSION?
Rotating the ankle so that the sole of the floor points towards the other.
IN - facing in
What is ABDUCTION?
Moving a limb away from the centre (medial) line of the body.
What is ADDUCTION?
Moving a limb back to the medial line.
What is LATERAL ROTATION?
Rotating a limb away from the medial line of the body.
What is MEDIAL ROTATION?
Rotating a limb back to the medial line.
What is PRONATION?
Rotating the forearm so the palm faces DOWN when the forearm is flexed.
What is SUPINATION?
Where the forearm and palm are facing UP (inferior).
What is RETRACTION?
The posterior movement (towards back of body) of arm and shoulders.
What is PROTRACTION?
Anterior movement (towards front of body) of arm and shoulders).
What is LATERAL FLEXION?
Bending the spine to the side, away from the centre (medial) line of the body.
What is the ANATOMICAL POSITION?
Reece, standing still, upper limbs at the side, palms facing forwards.
What do we mean by ANTERIOR? Give an example.
Anterior means forwards, ventral, at the front of the body e.g. The breastbone is anterior to the spine.
What do we mean by POSTERIOR? Give an example.
Posterior is backwards, at the back e.g. The heart is posterior to the sternum.
What do we mean by SUPERIOR? Example.
To the top of the body, towards the head e.g. The forehead is superior to the nose.
What do we mean by INFERIOR? Example.
Below, towards the feet e.g. The knee is inferior to the hip.
What do we mean by LATERAL? Example.
To the side, away from the medial line e.g. The lungs are lateral to the heart.
What do we mean by MEDIAL? Example.
To the centre, towards the medial line e.g.the breast is medial to the forearm.
What do we mean by PROXIMAL? Example.
Close to the torso or situated ‘close to’ another body part e.g. The shoulder is proximal to the elbow.
What is DISTAL? Example.
Situated ‘further away’ or ‘at a distance’ to another body part. Further away from the torso e.g. The foot is distal to the thigh.
What is IPSILATERAL?
On the same side of the body.
What is CONTRALATERAL?
On the opposite side of the body.
What is SUPERFICIAL?
Towards the surface of the body, peripheral.
What is DEEP?
More internal.
Describe the SAGITTAL PLANE.
Cutting through the medial line of the body so you have one arm and one leg in each plane.
Describe the CORONAL PLANE.
Splitting the body between the anterior and posterior, so bum and breast are in separate planes.
Describe the TRANSVERSE PLANE.
Cutting through the torso so the head and arms are in one plane, and the legs and feet are in another.
