define different terminologies used in various systems

Anatomical Terminologies

Several terminologies are used to describe the body and to indicate the position of its part and organs relationships to each other. To study the body, we need to understand and get familiar with the common terminologies.

• Terminologies to describe anatomical position: Description of any region or part of the human body assume that the person is standing erect with the head, eyes and toes                   directed forward, the heels and toes together, and the upper limbs hanging by the sides and the palm facing forward.

• Supine position: lying down position with face directed upward.
•  Prone position: lying down position with face directed to down ward.
• Lateral position: lying down position with one side turning of body. It may be right lateral or left lateral
• Lithotomy position: lying supine, the buttock at the edge of the table the hips and knees fully flexed and the feet strapped in position.
• Dorsal Recumbent position: lying down with both legs separated, knee flexed sole of the feet resting flat on bed, close to the buttock.
• Sim's position: left lateral position and the left feet is extended along the back; right arm is in front of the patient.
• Terminologies to describe anatomical planes: Many description of the body that are based on imaginary line passing through the body in known as anatomical planes.

• Sagittal Plane: The sagittal plane extends vertically and divides the body (or an organ) into right or left portion. The mid-sagittal plane passes through midline of the body and divides it into equal right and left sides. The head and pelvic regions are commonly described in Mid- sagittal view.
• Frontal Plane:  A frontal or coronal plane also extends vertically but in perpendicular to the sagittal plane, therefore, it divides the body into anterior (front) and posterior (back) portions.
• Transverse Plane: Also called cross sectional or horizontal planes passes across the body or an organ perpendicular to its long axis. Therefore it divides the body or the organ intosuperior (upper) and inferior (lower) portions.
• Oblique Plane: It passes through the body or an organ at an angle between a transverse plane and a sagittal plane or between a transverse plane and a frontal plane.

• Terminologies to describe relative direction: Standardized terms of reference are used when anatomists describe the location of the body part. Relative means the location of one part of the body is always described in  relation to another part of the body.

           Frequently used terms are summarized below:

• Superior:    Toward the head
• Inferior:      Toward the feet
• Anterior:     Toward the frontal part of the body
• Posterior:   Toward the back of the body
• Medial:       Toward the midline of the body
• Lateral:       Away from the midline of the body
• Proximal:   Towards(near) to the trunk of the body
• Distal:         Away( farther) from the trunk of the body
• Superficial: Near the surface of the body
• Deep:         Farther from the surface of the body
• Ventral:      Towards the front
• Dorsal:       Towards the back

Terminologies to describe movement (Range of Motion )

• Flexion: Bending or making a decreasing angle between the bones or parts of the body.
• Extension: Straightening of a bend part or joint
• Abduction: Moving apart or away from the median plane
• Adduction: Moving together or toward the median plane.
• Opposition: The thumb pad is brought to a finger pad
• Reposition: Movement of the thumb from the position of opposition back to its anatomical
• Protraction: Moving forward e.g. occurs in moving the jaw forward.
• Retraction: Moving backward e.g. lucking the jaw, in drawing the shoulders back ward. Protrusion: Moving anteriorly (forward) as in protruding the mandible (chin), lips, or tongue.
• Retrusion: Moving posteriorly (backward), as in retruding the mandible, lips, or tongue. .
• Elevation: Lifting, raising or moving a part superiorly.
• Depression: Letting down, lowering or moving a part inferiorly.
• Dorsiflexion: describes flexion at the ankle joint, as occurs when walking uphill or lifting the front of the foot and toes off the ground.
• Plantarflexion: bends the foot and toes toward the ground, as when standing on your toes.
• Circumduction: Combination of successive movements of flexion, abduction, extension and adduction.
• Rotation: Turning or revolving of a part of long axis. –
• Medial rotation( internal rotation): brings the anterior surface of a limb closer to the median plane.
• Lateral Rotation (external rotation): takes the anterior surface away from the median -
• Eversion: Turns the planter surface or role of the foot away from the median plane of the plane. body.
• Inversion: Sole of the foot toward the median plane of the body.
• Supination: Rotates the radius of the forearm laterally around its long axis.
• Pronation: The palm of the hand faces posteriorly and the dorsum faces anteriorly.