PHYT 622
CLINICAL GROSS ANATOMY
GENERAL ANATOMICAL TERMINOLOGY
1. Anatomical Position: Standing erect, eyes straight ahead, arms by the side with palms
of the hands directed forward.
2. Terms of Relationship:
a. anterior - closer to the front surface
b. posterior - closer to the back surface
c. superior - closer to the head
d. inferior - closer to the feet
e. medial - closer to the mid-line
f. lateral - farther from the mid-line
3. Terms of Comparison:
a. Trunk
1. ventral - nearer to the abdominal surface
2. dorsal - nearer to the back surface
3. cranial - nearer the head end (cephalic/rostral)
4. caudal - nearer tail end
5. medial - see above
6. lateral - see above
b. Limbs
1. proximal - closer to the trunk
2. distal - away from the trunk
3. preaxial compartment - anterior compartment of the upper extremity
and posterior compartment of lower extremity
4. postaxial compartment - posterior compartment of UE,
anterior compartment of LE
5. flexor surface - anterior surface of UE, posterior surface LE
6. extensor surface - posterior surface UE, anterior surface LE
c. Hands and Feet
1. palmar surface - anterior surface of hand
2. plantar surface - inferior surface of foot
3. dorsum - posterior surface of hand and superior surface of foot
4. Other Terms:
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a. interior (internal, inside) and exterior (external, outside) are used to describe
bony cavities and hollow organs
b. invagination - an infolding of one portion with another portion of the same
thing
c. evagination - a protrusion of one portion outside another portion
d. superficial and deep describe closeness to and remoteness from the skin’s
surface and the surface of an organ
e. ipsilateral - same side of the body
f. contralateral - opposite side of the body
5. Joint Movements:
a. flexion - the joint angle decreases (gleno-humeral jt. is an
exception)
b. extension - return from flexion or increasing the joint angle
c. hyperextension - continuation of extension beyond the resting
position
d. abduction (ABD) - movement away from the mid-line of the body
e. adduction (ADD) - movement towards the mid-line of the body
f. lateral flexion - lateral bending of the trunk or head
g. rotation - turning or revolving around a long axis
h. protraction - a forward movement -e.g., scapula, mandible
i. retraction - a backward movement - e.g.,
"
"
j. supination - external rotation of the forearm - or the direction the palm faces in
the anatomical position with the radius and ulna uncrossed
k. pronation -internal rotation of the forearm - or the radius crossed over the ulna
6. Planes of the Body:
a. sagittal (anterioposterior; [AP]) plane
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dividing the body into right and left parts - this includes the median or
mid-sagittal plane, which divides the body into equal left and right halves
b. frontal (coronal) plane
a side to side plane at right angles to the sagittal plane, dividing the body
into anterior and posterior parts
c. horizontal (transverse) plane
at right angles to both a. and b., dividing the body into upper and lower
parts
7. Axes of Motion: Motion occurs in a plane which is 90 degrees from the axis of
motion
a. vertical (longitudinal) axis
motion in the transverse plane occurs about a longitudinal axis, e.g.,
internal and external rotation of the gleno-humeral jt.
b. anterior - posterior (A-P) (sagittal) axis
motion in the frontal plane occurs about an A-P axis, e.g., gleno-humeral
ABD and ADD
c. transverse axis
motion in the sagittal plane occurs about a transverse axis, e.g., elbow
flexion and extension
8. Muscle Contractions
a. Normal = insertion of mm. moves towards the origin, e.g., the action of the
biceps brachii as it flexes the elbow as one picks up an object
b. Reverse = origin of mm. moves toward the insertion, e.g., the action of the
same biceps as the elbow flexes during a “chin-up”
c. Concentric = a shortening contraction. MM. fibers shorten to move one part
towards another.
d. Eccentric = a lengthening contraction, e.g., the quadriceps controlling gravity
assisted knee flexion during a squat exercise
e. Isotonic = same tension of a muscle during a contraction, generally a term used
when describing he normal
12shortening of a muscle
f. Isometric = same length which means the muscle fibers do not visibly shorten
during contraction, e.g., carrying a heavy bundle in your arms.
g. Isokinetic = the speed of contraction does not change, is controlled throughout
the contraction e.g., resistance during a contraction is altered to allow muscle to
contact at the exact same speed throughout the range.
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