S3) Anatomical Terminology Flashcards
What is anatomical position?
The human body standing in an upright position, eyes facing forward, feet parallel and close together, arms at the sides of the body with the palms facing forward
Differentiate between medial and lateral
- Medial refers to a location or position toward the midline
- Lateral refers to a location or position farther from the midline
E.g. the ulna is on the medial side of the forearm, and the radius is lateral to the ulna
Differentiate between anterior and posterior
- Anterior refers to the front of the body / a position closer to the front
- Posterior refers to the back of the body / a position more toward the back
- E.g. the sternum is anterior on the chest wall, and the scapula is posterior*
What are synonyms for anterior and posterior?
- Ventral is a synonym of anterior
- Dorsal is a synonym of posterior
Differentiate between proximal and distal (used to describe locations on the extremities)
Distal means away from the trunk, and proximal means toward the trunk
E.g. The elbow is proximal to the wrist but distal to the shoulder
Differentiate between superior and inferior
- Superior indicates a body part that is above another or refers to the upper surface of an organ or a structure
- Inferior indicates that a body part is below another or refers to the lower surface of an organ or a structure
- E.g. the body of the sternum is superior to the xiphoid process but inferior to the manubrium*
What are the synonyms for superior and inferior?
- Cranial refers to a position or structure close to the head
- Caudal refers to a position or structure close to the feet
Differentiate between superficial and deep
A structure may be described as superficial or deep, depending on its relative depth
E.g. the scalp being described as superficial to the skull
Supine and prone are terms that describe body position while lying flat.
Distinguish between them
- When supine, a person is lying straight, with the face, or anterior surface, pointed upward
- When prone, a person is lying is horizontally, with the face, or anterior surface, pointed downward
Distinguish between unilateral and bilateral
- Unilateral refers to one side
- Bilateral refers to two/both sides
E.g. bilateral above-knee amputations refer to both right and left legs being amputated above the knee
Distinguish between contralateral and ipsilateral
- Contralateral refers to the opposite side
- E.g. a stroke affecting the right side of the brain may lead to contralateral paralysis of the left arm and left leg*
- Ipsilateral refers to the same side of the body
- E.g. A tumour in the left lung will often metastasise to the ipsilateral lymph node on the patient’s body*
Identify and describe the 5 different segments of the body
- The Head (skull)
- The Neck (cervical vertebrae)
- The Trunk (thorax & abdomen)
- Lower Extremity (thigh, leg & foot)
- Upper Extremity (arm, forearm & hand)
Describe the movements of flexion, extension and hyperextension
- Flexion is the bending movement of one bone on another, decreasing the joint angle
- Extension is the straightening movement of one bone away from another, increasing the joint angle
- Hyperextension is the continuation of extension beyond the anatomical position
Identify 4 parts of the body which can hyperextend
- Shoulder
- Hip
- Neck
- Trunk
Describe the movements of flexion and extension at the ankle and wrist
- Palmar flexion is flexion at the wrist
- Plantar flexion is flexion at the ankle
- Dorsiflexion is extension at the wrist and ankle joints
Describe the movements of abduction and adduction
- Abduction is movement away from the midline of the body
- Adduction is movement toward the midline of the body
Describe the movements of radial and ulnar deviation
- Radial deviation is when the hand moves laterally, toward the thumb side (wrist abduction)
- Ulnar deviation is when the hand moves medially, toward the little finger side (wrist adduction)
Describe the movement of circumduction
- Circumduction is motion that describes a circular, cone-shaped pattern
- It involves a combination of four joint motions: flexion, abduction, extension, and adduction
Describe the movements of lateral and medial rotation
- Medial rotation is when the anterior surface rotates inward, toward the midline (internal rotation)
- Lateral rotation is when the anterior surface rotates outward, away from the midline (external rotation)
Describe the movements of supination and pronation
Rotation of the forearm is referred to as supination and pronation:
- Supination is when the forearm rotates anteriorly with the palm of the hand forward
- Pronation is when the forearm rotates posteriorly with the palm of the hand backward
Distinguish between the movements of inversion and eversion
- Inversion is the inward movement of the sole of the foot at the ankle
- Eversion is the outward movement of the sole of the foot at the ankle
Distinguish between the movements of protraction and retraction
- Protraction is mostly a linear movement along a plane parallel to the ground and away from the midline
- Retraction is mostly a linear movement in the same plane but toward the midline
Distinguish between the movements of adduction and abduction in the hand
Distinguish between the movements of flexion and extension of the thumb
Distinguish between the movements of opposition and reposition in the hand
Distinguish between the coronal, sagittal and transverse planes
