Movement in

Anatomical Terms
The Anatomical Position

 Universal “starting point”

 All joints are considered to be in a
neutral position
 No movement has occurred yet
 Arms slightly to the side, palms up!
 Standing erect, palms and feet facing
forward
Planes

 Fixed lines of reference along which the

body is often divided or sectioned for
viewing structures
 By studying a region from sagittal,
horizontal, and frontal planes of
reference, a 3-D perspective can be
obtained.
Planes

 Sagittal: the plane that creates a right

and a left side of the body passing from
the front to the back
 Horizontal: also called the transverse
plane, creates a top and a bottom
 Frontal: also called the lateral plane,
creates a front and a back side as it
passes from one side of the body to
another
Planes
Anatomical Positions and
Directions
 Used for spatial relationships

 Superior: refers to something that is

above or higher than another structure

 Inferior: refers to something that is below

or lower than another structure
Anatomical Positions and
Directions
 Lateral: Refers to something farther
away from the midline of the body

 Medial: Refers to something closer to the

midline of the body
Anatomical Positions and
Directions
 Anterior: Refers to a structure that is in
front of another structure

 Posterior: Refers to a structure that is

behind another structure
Anatomical Positions and
Directions
 Proximal: means closer to the trunk
 Distal: means farther away from the
trunk
 Dorsal: means top side of a structure
(dorsal fin)
 Plantar: the underside of the foot
Anatomical Positions and
Directions
 Prone: means lying face down
 Supine: means lying face up
 Afferent: directed toward a center
 Efferent: directed away from a center
 Central: situated or pertaining to a center
 Peripheral: situated away from a center
 Median: situated in the midline of a
structure
Anatomical Positions and
Directions
 Intermediate: situated between median
(middle) and lateral (side)
 Deep: situated far beneath the surface
 Superficial: situated near the surface
Anatomical Positions and
Directions
Fundamental Movements

 Flexion: decreasing the angle formed by

the bones of the joint
 Extension: increasing the angle of the
joint
 Example: knee flexion vs. knee
extension
 Hyperextension: extreme or excessive
straightening of a part
Fundamental Movements

 Abduction: movement away from the

midline of the body

 Adduction: movement toward the midline

of the body

 Example: hip adduction vs. hip abduction

Fundamental Movements

 Internal (Medial) Rotation: the anterior

surface of the arm or leg rotates medially
toward midline.

 External (Lateral) Rotation: the anterior

surface of the arm or leg rotates laterally
away from the midline
Fundamental Movements

 Circumduction: movement in 2 or 3
planes
 At which joints is this movement
possible?
Fundamental Movements

 Pronation: turning the forearm toward

the body
 Supination: turning the forearm outward
from the pronated position (hold a cup of
soup)
Fundamental Movements

 Dorsiflexion: bringing the toes towards

the body
 Plantar Flexion: pointing the toes away
from the body
Fundamental Movements
Injury Terms
 Abrasion: skins surface scraped away
 Acute: recent or new injury; sudden
onset
 Atrophy: wasting away of tissue or an
organ
 Avulsion: tearing away of a part or a
structure
 Bursa: fluid filled sac
Injury Terms

 Calcification: deposits of calcium in an

area
 Chronic: injury with a long onset and
long duration
 Contraindicate: to advise against
 Contusion: bruise
 Crepitus: crackling sound
 Cyanosis: blue discoloration
Injury Terms

 Dislocation: complete separation of two

ends of a joint
 Subluxation: partial or incomplete
separation of a joint
 Ecchymosis: bruising, blue color
 Edema: swelling in the tissue
 Effusion: swelling in the joint
 Fracture: break in the bone
Injury Terms

 Hematoma: collection of or swelling that

is blood; blood tumor
 Incision: straight cut; surgical cut
 Indicate: advise the use of
 Inflammation: body’s response to injury
 Joint Laxity: Looseness in the joint
 Laceration: jagged tear of the skin
Injury Terms

 Ligament: structure that connects bone

to bone
 Tendon: structure that connects muscle
to bone
 Modality: healing apparatus
 Point Tenderness: pain produced when
structure is palpated
 Puncture wound: body part is pierced or
stabbed by an object
Injury Terms

 Range of Motion: amount of movement allowed

at the joint
 Referred Pain: pain felt somewhere other than
its origin
 Sprain: stretching or tearing of ligaments
 Strain: stretching or tearing of muscle/tendons
 Valgus: position of a body part that is bent
outward
 Varus: position of a body part that is bent
inward
Root Words, Prefixes, &
Suffixes
 Arthro: Joint
 Cardio: Heart
 Chondro: Cartilage
 Neuro: Nerve
 Pneumo: Lung
 Pyscho: Brain/Mental
 Tomy: To Cut/Incision
 Plantar: Sole of the foot
Root Words, Prefixes, &
Suffixes
 Supra/Super: Above
 Semi: Half
 Palmar: Palm of the Hand
 Thermo: Heat
 Cryo: Cold
 Arterio: Arteries
 Cerebro: Brain
 Myo: Muscle
Root Words, Prefixes, &
Suffixes
 Osteo: Bone
 Derm: Skin
 Sub: Below/beneath
 Pseudo: False
 Quad: Four
 Hyper: Excessive
 Brachium: Arm
 Phalangeal: Fingers/Toes
Root Words, Prefixes, &
Suffixes
 Cephalic: Towards the Head
 Vertebro: Vertebrae/Spine
 A/An: Without/Lack of
 Ad: Toward
 Bi: Both/Two/Twice
 Inter: Between
 Hypo: Under/Beneath
Root Words, Prefixes, &
Suffixes
 Sym/Syn: Joined/fused
 Algia: Pain
 Itis: Inflammation
 Ology: Study of
 Pathy: Disease
 Uni: One/single
 Epi: Above
 Ab: Away from
Root Words, Prefixes, &
Suffixes
 Ante: Before, In Front Of
 Co/con: Against
 Intra: Within
 Peri: Around
 Re: Again/Backward
 Retro: Behind
 Ectomy: Remove
 Oma: Tumor
Root Words, Prefixes, &
Suffixes
 Osis: Condition of
 Scopy: Examine
 Post: After
Joint Anatomy
Joint Anatomy
Synovial:
-Classifications:
-Immovable: Synarthrotic
-Slightly Movable: Amphiarthrotic
-Freely Movable: Diarthrotic
-4 Features:
-Capsule or Ligaments
-Synovial Membrane
-Articular Cartilage
-Joint cavity w/ synovial fluid
Joint Anatomy
Synovial:
-Types:
-Ball & Socket: Shoulder
-Hinge: Elbow
-Pivot: (Atlas/Axis)
-Ellipsoidal: Phalanges
-Saddle: Thumb
-Gliding: Wrist
Joint Anatomy
Fibrous:
-Features:
-Connected by fibrous tissue
-Immovable or slightly
movable
-Types:
-Sutures: Skull
-Syndesmosis: Interosseous
-Gomphosis: Teeth
Joint Anatomy
Cartilagenous:
-Features:
-Joined by cartilage
-Slightly Movable
-Types:
-Syndchondroses: Ribs
(hyaline cartilage)
-Symphysis: Pubic Symphysis,
Intervertebral Discs
(Fibrocartilage)