Medical Terminology
Anatomical Position, Directional Terms and Movements
What we will cover... Content Objectives
• Students will be able to gain a better understanding and
application of medical terminology in relation to Anatomical
Planes, Directions and Movements.
Language Objectives
• Students will be able to define basic anatomical terms and apply
those terms when dissecting.
• Students will be able to compare and contrast the differences
between directional terms and terms associated with movement.
Anatomical Terms Worksheet
History • During the Renaissance (“Rebirth”) the study of
human life and medicine began to flourish. • Scientist, Doctors and Artist would experiment and
practice on the dead and incarcerated. • Cadavers were positioned flat on their backs, thus
making it easier to draw and reference from that position.
• Many artist such as Leonardo da Vinci began to study, draw and diagram the human body.
Anatomical Position
• Standing erect, with palms and feet facing forward
• Is the standard reference point in which all positions, movements, and planes are described
Positions and Directions
Terms of position and direction describe the
position of one body part relative to another,
usually along one of the three major body planes
Positions and Directions
Superior • Refers to a structure being
closer to the head or higher than another structure in the body
Inferior • Refers to a structure being
closer to the feet or lower than another structure in the body
Positions and Directions
Anterior
• Refers to a structure being more in front than another structure in the body
Posterior
• Refers to a structure being more in back than another structure in the body
Positions and Directions
Medial • Refers to a structure
being closer to the midline or median plane of the body than another structure of the body
Lateral • Refers to a structure
being farther away from the midline than another structure of the body
Positions and Directions
Distal (Reference to the extremities only)
• Refers to a structure being further away from the root of the limb than another structure in the limb
Proximal (Reference to the extremities only)
• Refers to a structure being closer to the root of the limb than another structure in that limb
Distal / Proximal Cont.
• When you divide the skeleton into Axial (Blue) and Appendicular (Yellow) you can better understand the extremities and their roots.
Proximal
Distal
Positions and Directions
Superficial
• Refers to a structure being closer to the surface of the body than another structure
Deep
• Refers to a structure being closer to the core of the body than another structure
Positions and Directions
Ventral
• Towards the front or belly – You Vent out or your nose and mouth.
Dorsal
• Towards the back – Like the Dorsal fin of a dolphin.
Positions and Directions Prone • Lying face down
– Like a Pro Baseball player sliding into Home.
Supine • Lying face up
– Lying on your spine and you can have soup poured into your mouth.
Unilateral • Pertaining to one side of the body
Bilateral • Pertaining to both sides of the body
Anatomical Planes
• Fixed lines of reference along which the body is often divided or sectioned to facilitate viewing of its structures
• Allow one to obtain a three-dimensional perspective by studying the body from different views
Anatomical Planes
Sagittal plane
– The plane dividing the body into right and left portions
– Midsagittal or median are names for the plane dividing the body into equal right and left halves
Anatomical Planes
Frontal plane
– The plane dividing the body into front and back portions
– Also called the Coronal plane
Anatomical Planes
Transverse plane
– The horizontal plane dividing the body into upper and lower portions
– Also called the Horizontal plane
Gummy
Bear
Dissection
LAB
1. Cadaver Bear
2. Dissecting Tray
3. Scalpel
Movements – Flexion – Extension – Hyperextension – Adduction – Abduction – Prontaion – Supination – Retraction – Protraction – Elevation – Depression – Rotation – Circumduction – External Rotation – Internal Rotation – Inversion – Eversion – Dorsiflexion – Plantarflexion – Radial Deviation – Ulnar Deviation – Opposition
Movements Flexion • Bending a joint or decreasing the
angle between two bones – In the Fetal Position we are flexing our joints
Extension • Straightening a joint or increasing
the angle between two bones – In the Anatomical Position we are extending our joints
Hyperextension • Excessive extension of the parts
at a joint beyond anatomical position.
Flexion / Extension / Hyperextension
Movements
Adduction
• Moving a body part towards the midline of the body
Abduction
• Moving a body part away from the midline of the body
Movements Pronation • Turning the arm or foot
downward • (palm or sole of the foot -
down) • Prone
Supination • Turning the arm or foot
upward • (palm or sole of the foot -
up) • Supine
Movements Retraction • Moving a part backward
Protraction • Moving a part forward
Elevation • Raising a part
Depression • Lowering a part
Movements Rotation • Turning on a single axis
Circumduction • Tri-planar, circular motion
at the hip or shoulder
Internal rotation • Rotation of the hip or
shoulder toward the midline
External rotation • Rotation of the hip or
shoulder away from the midline
Movements Lateral Flexion • Side-bending left or
right
Movements of the Foot
Inversion • Turning the sole of the foot
inward
Eversion • Turning the sole of the foot
outward
Dorsiflexion • Ankle movement bringing the
foot towards the shin
Plantarflexion • Ankle movement pointing the
foot downward
Movements of the Wrist & Thumb
Radial Deviation • Movement of the wrist towards
the radius or lateral side.
Ulnar Deviation • Movement of the wrist towards
the ulna or medial side.
Opposition • Movement of the thumb across
the palm of the hand.
Additional Range of Motion
1. Hip __________________________
2. Hip __________________________
3. Hip __________________________
Knee ________________________
Ankle ________________________
4. Wrist _________________________
(a) __________________________
(b) __________________________
5. Hip __________________________
Knee ________________________
Ankle ________________________
6. Forearm (a) ___________________
Forearm (b) ___________________
7. Shoulder ______________________
8. Shoulder ______________________
9. Jaw __________________________
10. Shoulder ______________________
Range of Motion
Range of Motion 1. Hip _Abduction_________________
2. Hip _Adduction_________________
3. Hip _Flexion___________________
Knee _Extension________________
Ankle _Plantarflexion____________
4. Wrist _Extension________________
(a) _Hyperextension_____________
(b) _Flexion____________________
5. Hip _Flexion___________________
Knee _Flexion__________________
Ankle _Dorsiflexion______________
6. Forearm (a) _Supination__________
Forearm (b) _Pronation__________
7. Shoulder _Circumduction_________
8. Shoulder _Elevation_____________
9. Jaw _Protraction________________
10. Shoulder _Rotation______________
Regional Terms
Word Association Activity
Lesson 2– Body Cavities
• Body cavities are spaces within the body that contain vital organs.
• The two major cavities in the body are the dorsal and ventral cavities.
▫ The dorsal cavity is a long, continuous cavity located on the back of the body.
▫ The ventral cavity is located on the front side of the body.
Lesson 2– Dorsal Cavity
• The dorsal cavity is divided into two sections:
▫ The cranial cavity contains the brain.
▫ The spinal cavity contains the spinal cord.
Lesson 2– Ventral Cavity
• The ventral cavity is divided into three sections:
▫ The thoracic cavity contains the trachea, esophagus, bronchi, lungs, heart, and major blood vessels. It is also known as the chest cavity.
▫ The abdominal cavity contains the stomach, small intestine, most of the large intestine, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and spleen.
▫ The pelvic cavity contains the reproductive organs, bladder, and rectum.
Lesson 2– Small Body Cavities
• The orbital cavity contains the eye structures.
• The nasal cavity contains the parts that form the nose.
• The oral cavity, or buccal cavity, contains the teeth and the tongue in the mouth.
Lesson 2– Abdominal Regions: Quadrants
• Because the abdominal cavity is so large, it helps to divide it into regions.
• One method of division results in quadrants, or four regions:
▫ Right upper quadrant (RUQ)
▫ Left upper quadrant (LUQ)
▫ Right lower quadrant (RLQ)
▫ Left lower quadrant (LLQ)
Lesson 2– Abdominal Regions: Nine Regions • Another method of dividing the
abdominal cavity results in nine regions:
▫ Epigastric – above the stomach
▫ Umbilical – near the umbilicus
▫ Hypogastric – below the stomach
▫ Left Hypochondriac – below the ribs, left side
▫ Right Hypochondriac – below the ribs, right side
▫ Left Lumbar – near the waist, left side
▫ Right Lumbar – near the waist, right side
▫ Left Iliac – near the hips, left side
▫ Right Iliac – near the hips, right side