Anatomical Anatomical Directions Directions Anatomy and Physiology 1 Anatomy and Physiology 1 Mr. Beyer Mr. Beyer
Jan 04, 2016
Anatomical DirectionsAnatomical Directions
Anatomy and Physiology 1Anatomy and Physiology 1
Mr. BeyerMr. Beyer
Anatomical PositionAnatomical Position
The body standing upright facing The body standing upright facing forward, toes pointing forward, palms forward, toes pointing forward, palms facing forwardfacing forward
The body could also be in this The body could also be in this position laying supine (on its position laying supine (on its posterior surface)posterior surface)
Anatomical PositionAnatomical Position
Superior and InferiorSuperior and Inferior
Describes vertical relationship between Describes vertical relationship between structures.structures.
SuperiorSuperior- “above” - “above” Example: Your eyes are superior to your Example: Your eyes are superior to your nosenose
InferiorInferior “below” “below”Example: Your shin is inferior to your kneeExample: Your shin is inferior to your knee
Superior and InferiorSuperior and Inferior
Lateral and MedialLateral and Medial
Describes structures that are beside each Describes structures that are beside each other as in left or rightother as in left or right
LateraLateral-means toward the outside of the l-means toward the outside of the body away from the median planebody away from the median planeExample: The right ear is lateral to the Example: The right ear is lateral to the
right eye right eye
MedialMedial-means toward the inside of the body -means toward the inside of the body toward the median planetoward the median planeExample: The nose is medial to the right Example: The nose is medial to the right eyeeye
Lateral and MedialLateral and Medial
Anterior and PosteriorAnterior and PosteriorVentral and Dorsal Ventral and Dorsal
Directions that describe body parts that are Directions that describe body parts that are described as being in front of or behind each described as being in front of or behind each otherother
Anterior/VentralAnterior/Ventral:: Toward the front of the body Toward the front of the bodyExample: your nose is anterior to your brainExample: your nose is anterior to your brain
Posterior/DorsalPosterior/Dorsal:: Toward the back of the body Toward the back of the bodyExample: The spine is posterior to sternum Example: The spine is posterior to sternum
(breastbone)(breastbone)
Anterior and PosteriorAnterior and PosteriorVentral and Dorsal Ventral and Dorsal
Superficial and DeepSuperficial and Deep
Describe distance near or far from the surface Describe distance near or far from the surface (depth)(depth)
SuperficialSuperficial:: near the surface near the surfaceExample: The skin is superficial to the muscles Example: The skin is superficial to the muscles
beneath itbeneath it
DeepDeep:: describes something below the surface describes something below the surface or away from the surface of the bodyor away from the surface of the body
Example: The heart is deep to the sternum Example: The heart is deep to the sternum bonebone
Superficial and DeepSuperficial and Deep
Proximal and DistalProximal and Distal Used to describe the relationship of the bones Used to describe the relationship of the bones
of our appendages (that are arranged end to of our appendages (that are arranged end to end)end)
ProximalProximal:: the end of the long bone that is the end of the long bone that is nearest to its attachment to trunk of the body nearest to its attachment to trunk of the body
DistalDistal:: the end of the long bone that is further the end of the long bone that is further from its attachment to the trunk of the bodyfrom its attachment to the trunk of the body
Example: the hand is Example: the hand is distaldistal to the wrist to the wrist Example: the wrist is Example: the wrist is proximalproximal to the hand to the hand
Proximal and DistalProximal and Distal