Anatomical Terminology

The anatomical position

The body is in an upright standing position, with the upper limbs hanging by the side of the body; the palms of the hand are directed forwards and the feet are together.

Superior or cephalic

Is defined as either higher in position or closer to the head.

Inferior or caudal

Inferior means lower in position or closer to the feet, while caudal means closer to the tail.

Anterior or ventral:

Is defined as ‘closer to the front’.

Posterior or dorsal

Is defined as ‘closer to the back’.

Proximal

Is defined as ‘closer to the trunk’.

Distal

Is defined as ‘more distance from the trunk’.

Superficial

Is defined as ‘closer to the skin’.

Deep

Is defined as ‘away from the skin’.

Internal

Is defined as ‘inner or away from the surface’.

External

Is defined as either ‘outer, or closer to the surface’.

Palmar

Is defined as ‘the anterior surface of the hand’.

Middle or intermediate:

Middle lies between the anterior and posterior or between the superior and inferior, but intermediate lies between medial and lateral.

Median and median plane

Median means in the middle, while the median plane is the imaginary line which divides the body into equal right and left sections.

Medial

Is defined as ‘closer to the median plane’.

Lateral

Is defined as ‘away from the median plane’.

Sagittal plane

Is defined as ‘any plane which crosses the body parallel to the median plane’.

Cronal plane

Means ‘the plane at right angles to the median plane’.

Ulnar

Is defined as ‘...related to the ulna, or the medial side of the forearm’.

Radial

Is defined as ‘related to the radius, or the lateral side of the forearm’.

Flexion

Is defined as folding the limb anteriorly.

Extention

Is defined as straightening the limb posteriorly.

Addaction

Is defined as movement towards the median plane.

Abduction

Is defined as movement away from the median plane.

Rotation

Is defined as movement of the bone about its longitudinal axis.

Pronation

Is defined as movement when the hand moves with the radius to turn the palm posteriorly.

Supination

Is defined as movement when the hand and radius move to its anatomical position and the palm faces anteriorly (i.e. it is the opposite of pronation).