ANPH - Basic Anatomical Terminology

• Anatomical position: description of any region or part of the human body assume that it is in a specific stance
• Anatomical Position: Upright standing position, face and feet pointing forward, arms at the side, palms facing forward
• Anatomical position: the standard reference point in which all positions, movements, and planes are described
• Prone: lying face down
• Supine: lying face up
• Unilateral: pertaining to one side of the body
• Bilateral: pertaining to both sides of the body
• The principal regions are the head, neck, trunk, upper limbs and lower limbs
• The head consists of the skull and face
• The neck supports the head and attaches it to the trunk
• The trunk consists of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis
• Each upper limb attaches to the trunk and consists of the shoulder, arm, (portion o the limb from the shoulder to the elbow), forearm (portion of the limb from the elbow to the wrist), wrist, and hand.
• Each lower limb also attaches to the trunk and consists of the buttock, thigh (portion of the limb from the buttock to the knee), leg (portion of the limb from the knee to the ankle), ankle, and foot.
• The groin is the area on the front surface of the body marked by a crease on each side, where the trunk attaches to the thighs.
• Superior (Cephalic or Cranial): toward the head, or the upper part of a structure
• Inferior (Caudal): away from the head, or the lower part of a structure
• Anterior (Ventral): nearer to or at the front of the body
• Posterior (Dorsal): nearer to or at the back of the body
• Medial: nearer to the midline
• Lateral: farther from the midline
• Intermediate: between two structures
• Ipsilateral: on the same side of the body as another structure
• Contralateral: on the opposite side of the body from another structure
• Proximal: nearer to the attachment of a limb to the trunk; nearer to the origination of a structure
• Distal: farther from the attachment of a limb to the trunk; farther from the origination of a structure
• Superficial (external): toward or on the surface of the body
• Deep (internal): away from the surface of the body
• Flexion: bending a joint or decreasing the angle between two bones
• Extension - straightening a joint or increasing the angle between two bones
• Hyperextension - excessive extension of the parts at a joint beyond anatomical position
• Adduction - moving a body part towards the midline of the body
• Abduction - moving a body part away from the midline of the body
• Pronation - turning the arm or foot downward (palm or sole of the foot - down)
• Supination - turning the arm or foot upward (parm or sole of he foot - up)
• Retraction - moving a part backward
• Protraction - moving a part forward
• Elevation - raising a part
• Depression - lowering a part
• Rotation - turning on a single axis
• Circumduction - tri-planar, circular motion at the hip or shoulder