IntroductionHuman anatomy is the term used to denote the study of the structure of human body. There are various terminologies used in human anatomy that specify the anatomical position and location as well as the action of various structures.
POSITIONS:
- Anatomical Position: A person standing straight with eyes looking forwards, both arms by the side of body, palms facing forwards, both feet together is said to be in anatomical position.
- Supine position: A person lying on her/his back, arms by the side, palms facing upwards and feet put together is said to be in supine position.
- Prone position: A person lying on his/her face, chest and abdomen is said to be in prone position.
PLANES:A flat surface where a human body is divided or transected in order to show the internal structures is called as plane.
- SAGITTAL PLANE: A plane passing through the center of the body dividing it into two right/left halves is the median or midsagittal plane. The plane parallel to median or midsagittal plane is the sagittal plane.
- CORONAL (frontal) PLANE: A plane at right angles to the sagittal or median plane, which divides the body into anterior and posterior halves is called a coronal plane.
- TRANSVERSE (horizontal) PLANE: A plane at right angles to both the sagittal and coronal planes, which divides the body into upper and lower parts, is called a transverse plane.
BASIC ANATOMICAL TERMINOLOGY: describes the relationship of parts of the body to each other
- ANTERIOR OR VENTRAL: In front of or front
- POSTERIOR OR DORSAL: In back of or back
- CRANIAL/SUPERIOR: Towards the head end or above
- CAUDAL/INFERIOR: Towards the feet or below
- MEDIAL: Towards the midline
- LATERAL: Towards the side or away from the midline
- PROXIMAL: Nearest the point of attachment to the trunk
- DISTAL: Away from the point of attachment to the trunk
- SUPERFICIAL: Close to the surface of the body
- DEEP: Away from the surface of the body
- Ipsilateral: refers to a structure or a condition on the same side of the body as the reference point.
- Contralateral: refers to a structure on the opposite side of the body when compared to the reference point.
TERMS RELATED TO BODY MOVEMENTS:General movements of the synovial joints are divided into four main categories:
- Gliding movement: Relatively flat surfaces which move back-and-forth and from side-to-side with respect to one another. No significant change can be seen in the angle between articulating bones.
- Angular movements: Increases or decreases of the angle between articulating bones. Flexion is a decrease in an angle between articulating bones. Extension is the increase of an angle, between articulating bones.
- The sideways movement of the trunk, either to the right or left at the waist is called Lateral flexion.
- Adduction is movement of bone toward midline.
- Abduction is movement of bone away from midline.
Rotation: Rotation refers to the bone’s revolution around its longitudinal axis.In medial rotation the anterior surface of a bone of a limb is turned towards the midline.In lateral rotation, the anterior surface of bone of a limb is turned away from midline.
Special movements: Occur only within certain joints. Radioulnar joints: pronation and supinationtemporomandibular joint: protraction and retraction
