Anatomical Terms Flashcards
1
Q
Anterior
A
situated in the front or in the forward part of
2
Q
Anatomical Position
A
an erect standing position with the feet parallel and arms at side with palms turned forward
3
Q
Posterior
A
situated behind or toward the rear
4
Q
Superior
A
over; having a higher situation
5
Q
Inferior
A
below
6
Q
Dorsal
A
pertaining to the back
7
Q
Ventral
A
on or toward the belly surface
8
Q
Medial
A
pertaining to or toward the middle
9
Q
Lateral
A
pertaining to or toward the side
10
Q
Radial (lateral)
A
on or toward the same side of the forearm or hand as the radius; same as lateral
11
Q
Ulnar (medial)
A
on or toward the same side of the forearm or hand as the ulna; same as medial
12
Q
Ipsilateral
A
same side
13
Q
Contralateral
A
opposite side
14
Q
Cranial
A
head end, cephalic
15
Q
Caudal
A
tail end
16
Q
Distal
A
farthest away from the point of attachment of origin, body or center of motion
17
Q
Thigh
A
from hip to knee
18
Q
Leg
A
from knee to ankle
19
Q
Arm
A
from shoulder to elbow
20
Q
Forearm
A
from elbow to wrist
21
Q
Origin
A
the more fixed or central attachment of a muscle
22
Q
Insertion
A
the place of attachment of a muscle to the bone which it moves
23
Q
Contraction
A
an increase in muscle tension, with or without change in overall length
24
Q
Eccentric contraction
A
a lengthening contraction
25
Concentric contraction
a shortening contraction; an isotonic contraction
26
Isometric contraction
increase in tension without a change in muscle length
27
Agonist
a muscle or muscle group that is most directly related to the initiation and execution of a particular motion (Elbow Flex-Biceps)
28
Antagonist
a muscle or muscle group which has the action opposite of a particular agonist muscle
29
Synergist
two or more muscles that cooperate during the execution of a particular motion. Example: FCU and FCR cooperate to produce wrist flexion
30
Neutralizer
muscle which comes into play to inhibit any secondary unwanted movements of the prime mover. During wrist flexion FCU and FCR neutralize wrist RD and UD to produce pure wrist flexion.
31
Prone
lying on the stomach
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Supine
lying on the back
33
Lordosis
an abnormal anterior curve, usually found in the lumbar spine - an exaggeration of the normal anterior curve
34
Kyphosis
an abnormal posterior curve, usually found in the thoracic region of the spine - an exaggeration of the normal posterior curve
35
Rotation
movement about a longitudinal axis in a transverse plane
36
Lateral or external
turning the anterior surface of the rotation extremity away from the midline of the body
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Medial or internal
turning the anterior surface of the rotation extremity towards the midline of the body
38
Abduction
movement away from the median line of the body; at the wrist this is synonymous with radial deviation
39
Adduction
movement toward the median line of the body; at the wrist this is synonymous with ulnar deviation
40
Horizontal abduction
a movement at the shoulder in a (horizontal extension) transverse plane in an anterior and medial direction
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Horizontal adduction
a movement at the shoulder in a (horizontal flexion) transverse plane in an anterior and medial direction
42
Flexion
a bending of a joint by which the two adjacent segments approach each other (in the neck and low back, flexion is movement of the spine in a posterior direction, i.e., moving from a position of anterior convexity to a straight position)
43
Lateral flexion
side-bending; movement in which the body bends toward the side of the concavity while the spine curves convexly toward the opposite side
44
Extension
the straightening of a joint; the return from flexion (in the neck and low back extension would be an increase in the anterior convexity or moving from a straight position to an anterior convexity)
45
Hyperextension
motion of a joint in the direction of extension beyond the normal range
46
Dorsiflexion
an ankle motion in which the upper surface of the foot approaches the anterior surface of the lower leg
47
Plantar flexion
bending the foot down in the direction of the sole
48
Eversion
elevation of lateral border of foot with depression of medial border of foot so that plantar aspect of foot faces laterally
49
Inversion
elevation of medial border with depression of lateral border of foot so that plantar aspect of foot faces medially
50
Supination (ankle)
triplanar motion which combines inversion, adduction and plantar flexion
51
Supination (forearm)
distal end of radius moves from a medial to a lateral position (palm up)
52
Pronation (ankle)
triplanar motion which combines eversion, abduction, and dorsiflexion
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Pronation (forearm)
distal end of radius moves from a lateral to a medial position (palm down)
54
Opposition
combination of abduction, flexion, and medial rotation (occurs and thumb and small finger only)
55
Circumduction
combines the successive movements of flexion, abduction, extension and adduction in which the part being moved describes a cone
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Varus
adduction of distal segment toward midline
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Valgus
abduction of distal segment away from midline
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Scapular adduction
the scapula translates medially along the rib cage toward the vertebral column
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Scapular abduction
the scapula translates laterally along the rib cage away from the vertebral column
60
Scapular upward rotation (lateral rotation)
a movement of the scapula (about an axis perpendicular to the scapula at the acromioclavicular joint) in which the inferior angle moves laterally and the glenoid fossa rotated to face cranially
61
Scapular downward rotation (medial rotation)
a movement of the scapula (about an axis perpendicular to the scapula at the acromioclavicular joint) in which the inferior angle moves medially and the glenoid fossa rotates to face caudally
62
Scapular elevation
a movement in which the scapula translates along the ribcage in a cranial direction
63
Scapular depression
a movement in which the scapula translates along the ribcage in a caudal direction
64
Scapular anterior tilt/tipping
a movement of the scapula (about an axis parallel to the scapular spine at the acromioclavicular joint) in which the coracoid moves anteriorly and caudally while the inferior angle moves posteriorly and cranially
65
Scapular posterior tilt/tipping
a movement of the scapula (about an axis parallel to the scapular spine at the acromioclavicular joint) in which the coracoid moves posteriorly and cranially and the inferior angle moves anteriorly and caudally
66
Scapular internal rotation
rotation of the scapula (about a vertical axis at the acromioclavicular joint) in which the lateral border of the scapula moves anteromedially and the vertebral border of the scapula moves posterolaterally such that the costal surface of the scapula faces more toward the midline of the body
67
Scapular external rotation
rotation of the scapula (about a vertical axis at the acromioclavicular joint) in which the lateral border of the scapula moves posterolaterally and the vertebral border of the scapula moves anteromedially such that the costal surface of the scapula faces more away from the midline of the body
68
Scapular winging
abnormal movement of the scapula about a vertical axis at the acromioclaviculat joint in which the vertebral border moves in a posterior and lateral direction away from the ribcage
69
Clavicular Elevation/Depression
movements of the clavicle in the frontal plane or clost to it, that occur around an anterior to posterior axis at the SC joint. Clavicular elevation/depression produce scapular elevation/depression respectively.
70
Clavicular Protraction/Retractions
movements of the clavicle in the horizontal plane that occur around a superior to inferior axis at the SC joint. Clavicular protraction/retraction produce scapular abduction/adduction respectively.
71
Clavicular posterior longitudinal rotation
movement of the clavicle as it rotates posteriorly around a longitudinal axis through the clavicle. This rotation occurs at the sternoclavicular joint as the arm is brought up overhead.
72
Thumb opposition
combination of abduction, flexion, and medial rotation
73
Thumb flexion
a movement in the frontal plane where the thumb slides across the palm in a medial direction
74
Thumb extension
a movement in the frontal plane (radial abduction) where the thumb moves laterally away from the palm
75
Palmer abduction
a movement in the sagittal plane (abduction) where the thumb moves anteriorly away from the palm
76
Thumb adduction
a movement in the sagittal plane where the thumb moves posteriorly towards the palm
77
Pelvic anterior tilt
pelvic tilt in which the vertical plane through the anterior-superior spines is anterior to the vertical plane through the symphysis pubis; think of tilt that would make water flow out of front if pelvis were basin
78
Pelvic posterior tilt
pelvic tilt in which the vertical plane through the anterior-superior spines is posterior to the vertical plane through the symphysis pubis; if pelvis = basin, tilt that would make water flow out back
79
Pelvic lateral tilt
pelvic tilt in which the crest of the ilium is higher on one side than the other
80
Clockwise rotation of pelvis
with the transverse plane as a reference and 12 o'clock at midpoint anteriorly, rotation forward on the left is clockwise rotation (also described as facing toward the right)
81
Counterclockwise rotation of pelvis
with the transverse plane as a reference and 12 o'clock at midpoint anteriorly, rotation forward on the right is coutnerclockwise rotation (also described as facing toward the left)
82
Median plane (mid-sagittal plane)
divides the body into right and left portions
83
Frontal plane (coronal)
divides the body into an anterior and posterior portion
84
Transverse (Horizontal plane)
divides the body or limbs into upper and lower parts
85
Axes
an axis is a line about which movement takes place
86
Axis of motion
perpendicular to the plane in which the motion occurs
87
Medial to lateral axis (coronal)
a horizontal line extending from medial-lateral (side to side) about which movements of flexion and extension take place (with some exceptions)
88
Superior to inferior axis
a vertical line extending in a superior-inferior direction about which movements of rotation take place
89
Anterior to posterior axis (sagittal)
a horizontal line extending from anterior-posterior (front to back) about which movements of abduction and adduction take place.
