Directional Terms and Body Planes

Question 1

Purpose of anatomical positions?

Answer 1

We use it as a reference point when talking about body parts

Question 2

What does the anatomical position look like?

Answer 2

Body standing erect, face forwards, feet parallel, arms hanging at sides, palms forwards and thumbs away from body.

Question 3

What are the common planes used in anatomy

Answer 3

Sagittal, Frontal and Transverse

Question 4

What is the sagittal plane?

Answer 4

The sagittal plane refers to the vertical plane; dividing the body into right and left

Question 5

What is the frontal plane?

Answer 5

Also a vertical plane but it divides the body from anterior and posterior (front and back)

Question 6

What is the transverse plane?

Answer 6

Horizontal plane; divides the body from superior and inferior (top half and bottom half)

Question 7

What is anterior?

Answer 7

Refers to the front of the body; in front of

Question 8

What is posterior?

Answer 8

Toward the back of the body; behind

Question 9

What is medial? An example?

Answer 9

Refers to going towards the midline of the body
- i.e. The ring finger is medial to the middle finger because it’s closer to the midline

Question 10

What is lateral? An example?

Answer 10

Refers to something further away from the midline or on the side of
- i.e. the middle finger is lateral to the ring finger
- i.e. the ears are lateral to the nose

Question 11

What is superior?

Answer 11

More towards the upper body; the nose is superior to the mouth

Question 12

What is inferior?

Answer 12

More towards the lower body; the mouth is inferior to the nose.

Question 13

What is intermediate? An example?

Answer 13

Refers to something between medial and lateral
- i.e.

Question 14

What is proximal? An example?

Answer 14

Refers to a part that’s closer to the point of attachment or closer to the origin
- i.e. the elbow is proximal to the wrist because the shoulder is the point of attachment and the elbow is closer.

Question 15

What is distal? An example?

Answer 15

Refers to a part that’s farther from the point of attachment or farther from the origin
- i.e. the knee is distal to the thigh because the hip is our point of attachment and the knee is further away from it than the thigh.

Question 16

What is superficial? An example?

Answer 16

Refers to the position of something that is closer to the surface of the body; known as external
- i.e. the skin is superficial to the skeletal muscles

Question 17

What is deep? An example?

Answer 17

Refers to the position of something being farther away from the surface; known as internal
- i.e. the lungs are deep to the skin.

Question 18

What is central/internal?

Answer 18

Refers to being closer or to the centre of the organ/cavity

Question 19

What is external

Answer 19

Refers to the outer parts of the organ/cavity

Question 20

What’s the difference between superficial/deep and internal and external?

Answer 20

Internal and external are used more for describing an individual organ.

Question 21

What is rostral?

Answer 21

More towards the front of the brain or front of face or even towards the top of the spinal cord

Question 22

What is claudal?

Answer 22

More to the back of the brain or towards the bottom of the spinal cord

Question 23

What is cranial

Answer 23

Directional term meaning more towards the skull or head.

Question 24

When referring to the palms of the anatomical position what directional term would we use?

Answer 24

Anterior or palmar since the palms are just facing out

Question 25

What directional term would we use to describe the back of the palm when using the anatomical position?

Answer 25

Posterior or back because we are mentioning the back of the palm

Question 26

If we looked at the feet in the anatomical position, what would be considered the anterior term?

Answer 26

The front toe

Question 27

What would be considered the posterior term if we looked at the feet in anatomical position?

Answer 27

The heel

Question 28

What is the term used to describe the sole of the feet in anatomical position and why?

Answer 28

Plantar is the term and it’s called that to describe how the feet are “planted” on the ground