ANATOMICAL

TERMS
Prepared by:
Ms. Marisol C. Marcelo, LPT
 ANATOMICAL
POSITION
• Upright standing position
• Face and feet pointing forward
• Arms at the side
• Palms facing forward

The standard reference point in

which all positions,
movements, and planes are
described.
 Other Anatomical Positions
Prone
• Lying face down

Supine
• Lying face up

Unilateral
• Pertaining to one side of the body

Bilateral
• Pertaining to both sides of the body
DIRECTIONAL
TERMS
Describe the position of
one body part relative to
another.
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
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
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
Distal
• Refers to a structure being
further away from the root of
the limb than another
structure in the limb

Proximal
• Refers to a structure being
closer to the root of the limb
than another structure in that
limb
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
 MOVEMENTS
Flexion
• Bending a joint or decreasing the
angle between two bones

Extension
• Straightening a joint or increasing
the angle between two bones

Hyperextension
• Excessive extension of the parts at
a joint beyond anatomical position.
Adduction
• Moving a body part towards the
midline of the body

Abduction
• Moving a body part away from the
midline of the body
Pronation
• Turning the arm or foot
downward
• (palm or sole of the foot -
down)

Supination
• Turning the arm or foot
upward
• (palm or sole of the foot - up)
Retraction
• Moving a part backward

Protraction
• Moving a part forward

Elevation
• Raising a part

Depression
• Lowering a part
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
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.
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______________
______________________
 ANATOMICAL
BODY REGIONS
Areas of the body that
have a special
function or are
supplied by specific
blood vessels or
nerves.
 Main Regions
• Axial (Blue)
head, neck, thorax,
abdomen, pelvis

• Appendicular (Yellow)
upper limbs, lower limbs
ANTERIOR
Body Landmarks
Abdominal
• Front (anterior) body trunk from the
ribs to the hips
Antecubital
• Anterior surface of the elbow
Axillary
• Armpit
Brachial
• Upper arm (shoulder to elbow)
Buccal
• Cheek
Carpal
• Wrist
Cervical
• Neck region
Deltoid
• Lateral area of the shoulder
(caused by underlying deltoid muscle)
Digital
• Fingers and toes
(also called phalangeal)
Femoral
• Thigh
Inguinal
• Area where thigh meets body trunk
(groin region - think underwear line)
Mammary
• Breast region of the chest (pectoral)
Manus
• Hand
Nasal
• Nose
Oral
• Mouth
Orbital
• Eye
Patellar
• Anterior knee region (kneecap)
 Pelvic
• Hips and lower abdomen (between abdominal and
inguinal regions)
Peroneal
• Lateral side of (lower) leg
Pubic
• Genital region
Sternal
• Breastbone region
Tarsal
• Ankle
Thoracic
• Chest
Umbilical
• Navel/belly button region
POSTERIOR
Body Landmarks
Cephalic
• Head
Gluteal
• Buttocks
 Lumbar

• Lower back between the ribs

and hips
Occipital
• Posterior surface of the head (to the
base of the skull)
Popliteal
• Posterior knee area
Scapular
• Shoulder blade region
Sural
• Calf (posterior surface of lower leg)
Vertebral
• Spine/backbone area
 BODY CAVITIES
Spaces within the body
containing vital organs.
House and protect the internal
organs.
 Body Cavities
1. Dorsal – (posterior) on
the back side of the body
a. Cranial – holds the brain
b. Spinal Cavity – holds the
spinal cord
2. Ventral – (anterior) on the belly side of
the body
a. Thoracic – chest cavity
* pleural cavity – contains lungs
* pericardial cavity – contains heart
* mediastinum – central portion of thoracic
cavity
b. Abdominopelvic – subdivided into abdominal and
pelvic cavities.
* Abdominal – holds organs of the digestive &
urinary system
* Pelvic – contains the urinary bladder,
reproductive organs, and portion
of the large intestine.
ABDOMINOPELVIC
REGIONS AND
QUADRANTS
ABDOMINOPELVIC
REGIONS
• Two horizontal and
two vertical lines

• Divided into nine

regions

• Regions are used to

describe the location
of the organ, injury or
pain
epigastric
• Upper, center area above
the stomach
umbilical
• The region surrounding the
umbilicus
hypogastric
• Area just below the
umbilical region
hypochondriac
• Just below the ribs,
immediately over the
abdomen
• On either side of the
epigastric region
• A left and a right side
lumbar
• Near the waist
• On either side of the
umbilical region
• A left and a right side
iliac or
inguinal
• Located near the upper
portion of the hipbone
• On either side of the
hypogastric region
• A left and a right side
ABDOMINOPELVIC
QUADRANTS
• A simpler way to divide
the abdominapelvic
cavity

• Quadrants are used to

describe the location of
pain, tumor, and
abnormalities.
Right Upper Quadrant
(RUQ)
• On the right anterior side
• Contains part of the liver,
the gallbladder, parts of the
pancreas and intestinal tract
 Right Lower Quadrant
(RLQ)
• On the right anterior
side
• Contains the appendix,
parts of the
intestines, female
reproductive organs
and the urinary tract
Left Upper Quadrant
(LUQ)
• On the left anterior side
• Contains the stomach, spleen,
and parts of the liver,
pancreas and intestines
Left Lower Quadrant
(LLQ)
• On the left anterior
side
• Contains parts of the
intestines,
reproductive organs
of the female and the
urinary tract
ANATOMICAL PLANES
• Imaginary flat
surfaces that
pass through the
body parts.

• Allows for a
three-dimensional
perspective.
Sagittal Plane
• Divides the
body or an
organ into left
and right sides.

*midsagittal
* parasagittal
Transverse Plane
• Divides body or
an organ into
superior and
bottom inferior
portions.
Frontal Plane
• Divides the body
or an organ into
anterior and
posterior sections