Anatomy Basics

Question 1

Anatomical Position

Answer 1

• standing upright, feet together
• head up, looking straight ahead
• arms down to sides, palms forward

Question 2

Supine

Answer 2

person lying down, face up

Question 3

Prone

Answer 3

person lying down, face down

Question 4

Superior

Answer 4

up toward the head

Question 5

Inferior

Answer 5

down toward the feet

Question 6

Anterior/Ventral

Answer 6

toward the front of the body

Question 7

Posterior/Dorsal

Answer 7

toward the back of the body

Question 8

Medial

Answer 8

toward the center line/mid-line of the body

Question 9

Proximal

Answer 9

toward an attached base

Question 10

Distal

Answer 10

away from an attached base

Question 11

Superficial

Answer 11

closer to the outer surface of a structure

Question 12

Deep

Answer 12

closer to the inner core of a structure

Question 13

Ipsilateral

Answer 13

on the same side

Question 14

Contralateral

Answer 14

on the opposite side

Question 15

Sagittal Plane

Answer 15

plane that divides the body into left and right parts

Question 16

Coronal (or frontal) Plane

Answer 16

plane that divides the body into anterior and posterior parts

Question 17

Transverse Plane

Answer 17

plane that divides the body into superior and inferior parts

Question 18

Posterior (dorsal) Cavities

Answer 18

contain the cranial cavity and vertebral canal

Question 19

Anterior (ventral) Cavities

Answer 19

contain the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavity

Question 20

Flexion of Spine

Answer 20

forward bending

Question 21

Extension of Spine

Answer 21

return from flexion back to anatomical position

Question 22

Abduction of Spine

Answer 22

sidebending

Question 23

Adduction of Spine

Answer 23

return from abduction back to anatomical position

Question 24

Elevation of Scapulae

Answer 24

scapulae glide up

Question 25

Depression of Scapulae

Answer 25

scapulae glide down

Question 26

Adduction of Scapulae

Answer 26

(also called retraction) scapulae glide together

Question 27

Abduction of Scapulae

Answer 27

(also called protraction) scapulae glide apart

Question 28

Upward Rotation of Scapulae

Answer 28

rotation which turns glenoid fossae up

Question 29

Downward Rotation of Scapulae

Answer 29

rotation which turns glenoid fossae down

Question 30

Flexion at Glenohumeral Joint

Answer 30

arm raises up in sagittal plane

Question 31

Extension at Glenohumeral Joint

Answer 31

return arm to anatomical position from flexion

Question 32

Abduction at Glenohumeral Joint

Answer 32

arm raises up in coronal plane

Question 33

Adduction at Glenohumeral Joint

Answer 33

arm returns to anatomical position from abduction

Question 34

Medial Rotation at Glenohumeral Joint

Answer 34

humerus rolls inward

Question 35

Lateral Rotation at Glenohumeral Joint

Answer 35

humerus rolls outward

Question 36

Circumduction at Glenohumeral Joint

Answer 36

combination of flexion, abduction, extension and adduction of arm (move in circle)

Question 37

Flexion of Elbow

Answer 37

bend elbow

Question 38

Extension of Elbow

Answer 38

straighten elbow

Question 39

Supination of Forearm

Answer 39

palms face anteriorly

Question 40

Pronation of Forearm

Answer 40

palms facing posteriorly

Question 41

Flexion of Wrist

Answer 41

bringing the palm of hand towards the forearm

Question 42

Extension of Wrist

Answer 42

bringing the posterior aspect of hand toward the posterior forearm

Question 43

Radial Deviation of Wrist

Answer 43

moving hand toward radius

Question 44

Ulnar Deviation of Wrist

Answer 44

moving hand toward ulna

Question 45

Flexion of Metacarpophalangeal or Interphalangeal Joints

Answer 45

to bend

Question 46

Extension of Metacarpophalangeal or Interphalangeal Joints

Answer 46

to straighten

Question 47

Abduction of Metacarpophalangeal Joints

Answer 47

to move fingers away from mid line of hand

Question 48

Adduction of Metacarpophalangeal Joints

Answer 48

to move fingers toward mid line of hand

Question 49

Flexion of Thumb

Answer 49

to bend across palm

Question 50

Extension of Thumb

Answer 50

to move thumb away from palm

Question 51

Abduction of Thumb

Answer 51

to move thumb away from plane of hand

Question 52

Adduction of Thumb

Answer 52

to move thumb toward plane of hand

Question 53

Opposition of Thumb

Answer 53

to move thumb over to touch little finger

Question 54

Crest

Answer 54

sharp bony ridge

Question 55

Condyle

Answer 55

rounded prominence that articulates with another bone

Question 56

Epicondyle

Answer 56

small projection just above a condyle

Question 57

Facet

Answer 57

smooth, flat articular surface

Question 58

Fissure

Answer 58

a slit like passageway

Question 59

Foramen

Answer 59

a hole

Question 60

Fossa

Answer 60

a depression

Question 61

Head

Answer 61

larger end of a long bone

Question 62

Line

Answer 62

slight bony ridge

Question 63

Meatus

Answer 63

a canal

Question 64

Process

Answer 64

a prominence or projection

Question 65

Ramus

Answer 65

an elongated process

Question 66

Spine

Answer 66

a slender ridge or projection

Question 67

Sulcus

Answer 67

groove

Question 68

Trochanter

Answer 68

a large, blunted process

Question 69

Tubercle

Answer 69

a small, rounded process

Question 70

Tuberosity

Answer 70

a broad process, larger than a tubercle