Ch. 4 Anatomic Position and Terms of Reference

Question 0

body planes

Answer 0

reference planes for indicating the location or direction of body planes

Question 1

anatomic or anatomical position

Answer 1

a term of reference that health professionals use when noting body planes, positions, or directions: the person is assumed to be standing upright, face forward, feet forward with arms at the side and palms faced forward.

Question 2

coronal (frontal) plane

Answer 2

vertical division of the body into front (anterior) and back (posterior) portions

Question 3

sagittal plane

Answer 3

vertical division of the body into right and left portions

Question 4

transverse plane

Answer 4

horizontal division of the body into upper and lower portions

Question 5

anterior, ventral

Answer 5

front of the body

Question 6

posterior, dorsal

Answer 6

back of the body

Question 7

anterior-posterior (AP)

Answer 7

from front to back

Question 8

posterior-anterior (PA)

Answer 8

from back to front

Question 9

superior, cephalic

Answer 9

situated above another structure, toward the head

Question 10

inferior, caudal

Answer 10

situated below another structure, away from the head

Question 11

proximal

Answer 11

toward the beginning or origin of a structure; close to center of the body

Question 12

distal

Answer 12

away from the beginning or origin of a structure; away from the center of the body

Question 13

medial

Answer 13

toward the middle or midline of the body

Question 14

lateral

Answer 14

toward the side

Question 15

axis

Answer 15

the imaginary line that runs through the center of the body or a body part

Question 16

erect

Answer 16

normal standing position

Question 17

decubitus

Answer 17

lying down, especially in bed; lateral decubitus is lying on the side (decumbo = to lie down)

Question 18

prone

Answer 18

lying face down and flat

Question 19

recumbent

Answer 19

lying down

Question 20

supine

Answer 20

horizontal recumbent; lying flat on the back (“on the spine”)

Question 21

flexion

Answer 21

bending at the joint so that the angle between the bones is decreased

Question 22

extension

Answer 22

straightening at the joint so that the angle between the bones is increased

Question 23

abduction

Answer 23

movement away from the body

Question 24

adduction

Answer 24

movement towards the body

Question 25

rotation

Answer 25

circular movement around an axis

Question 26

eversion

Answer 26

turning outward, i.e., of a foot

Question 27

inverison

Answer 27

turning inward, i.e., of a foot

Question 28

supination

Answer 28

turning of the palmar surface (palm of the hand) or plantar surface (sole of the foot) upward or forward

Question 29

pronation

Answer 29

turning of the palmar surface (palm of the hand) or plantar surface (sole of the foot) downward or backward

Question 30

dorsiflexion

Answer 30

bending of the foot or toes upward

Question 31

plantar flexion

Answer 31

bending of the sole of the foot by curling the toes toward the ground

Question 32

range of motion (ROM)

Answer 32

total motion possible in a joint, described by the terms related to body movements (i.e., ability to flex, extend, abduct, or adduct); measured in degrees

Question 33

goniometer

Answer 33

instrument used to measure joint angles (gonio = angle)