Anatomy
Body position and movement terms
Terminology
When discussing Anatomy:
The terms used assume that the body starts in
the anatomical position
Proper position: standing erect, arms at side, palms forward
Body Planes
There are three planes commonly used – sagittal, coronal and
transverse.
• The Sagittal Plane - a vertical line, divides the body into a
left and right.
• The Coronal Plane - a vertical line, divides the body into a
front and back
• The Transverse Plane - a horizontal line, divides the body
into a top and bottom
Plane = Different lines used to dissect the human body.
Using anatomical planes allows you to orientate yourself, and
gain a good spacial awareness of the structure
Anatomical Terms of Location
Medial and Lateral
• Imagine a line in the sagittal plane, splitting
the right and left halves evenly. This is the
midline. Medial means towards the midline,
Lateral means away from the midline.
Ex: the thumb is lateral to the little finger
Terms of location cont.
Superior and Inferior
• These terms refer to the vertical axis –
superior means ‘higher’, inferior means
‘lower’.
Ex: The Cranium is superior to the thorax
Terms of location cont.
Proximal and Distal
• Proximal and distal are used mainly in the
limbs. They describe the position of a
structure with reference to its origin. Proximal
means closer to its origin, distal means further
away.
Ex: The humerus is proximal to the radius – it is
closer to the origin of the arm (shoulder)
Anatomical Terms of Movement
Flexion and Extension
These two terms refer to increasing and decreasing the angle between
two body parts:
• Flexion refers to a movement that decreases the angle between
two body parts. Flexion at the elbow is decreasing the angle
between the ulna and the humerus.
• Extension refers to a movement that increases the angle between
two body parts. Extension at the elbow is increases the angle
between the ulna and the humerus.
Terms of movement cont.
Abduction and Adduction
• These terms are used to describe movements towards
or away from the midline of the body.
• Abduction is a movement away from the midline
• Adduction is a movement towards the midline
(In fingers and toes, the midline used is not the midline of
the body, but of the hand and foot respectively)
Terms of movement cont.
Medial and Lateral Rotation
• This refers to rotating the upper and lower limbs
towards and away from the midline, around their long
axis.
• Medial rotation is a rotating movement towards the
midline.
• Lateral rotation is a rotating movement away from the
midline.
Terms of movement cont.
Elevation and Depression
• Elevation refers to movement in a superior
direction (e.g shoulder shrug)
• depression refers to movement in an inferior
direction
Terms of movement cont.
Pronation and Supination
This is easily confused with medial and lateral rotation
**but the difference is that pronation and supination can occur only
when the forearm in semi-flexed.
• Pronation moves the palm of the hand so that it is facing posteriorly
(your forearms are pronated when typing on a keyboard).
• Supination moves the palm of the hand so that it is facing anteriorly
(your hands are supinated when holding a bowl of soup).
(Term also used incorrectly when referring to the foot)
Terms of movement cont.
Dorsiflexion and Plantar flexion
(correct terms for foot)
Both these terms describe movement at the ankle.
• Dorsiflexion refers to flexion at the ankle, so that
the foot points more inferiorly
• Plantar flexion refers extension at the ankle, so
that the foot points more superiorly
Terms of movement cont.
A pair of movements unique to humans, these apply to some
additional movements that the hand and thumb carry out
Opposition and Reposition
• Opposition brings the thumb and little finger
together
• Reposition is a movement that places the thumb
and the little finger away from each other