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