ANATOMICAL

POSITIONS
AND
DIRECTIONA
L TERMS
Subject ： PED011 Teacher ： MS. PEARL DAWN M. LIMPAHAN
 Anterior
Posterior
CONTENTS Inferior
Superior
Ipsilateral
Contralateral
Prone
Supine
 ANTERIOR
In front or in the front part

POSTERIOR
Behind, in back, or in the rear
Denote the direction to show a relative
position towards the front or back parts
of the body.
Example: Our eyes are anterior to the ears.
Conversely, the ears are posterior to our eyes.
 INFERIOR
Below in relation to another structure

SUPERIOR
face upward position of the body; lying on the
back

Denote the height in relation to a reference

body part.

Ex. knees are inferior to our hips

 IPSILATERAL
on the same side

CONTRALATERAL
pertaining to the opposite side

Movements/exercises may be done by

moving the upper limbs and lower limbs on
the same side of the body or on opposite
sides of the body.
SUPINE
face upward position of the
body; lying on the back

PRONE
the body lying face downward;
stomach lying

Terms indicating body positioning.

 PLANES OF MOTION
1. Frontal Plane - divided the body into
front and back halves.

2. Sagittal Plane - divides the body into

the right and left sides.

3. Transverse Plane - is parallel

to the ground: divides the body into
superior (upper) and interior (lower).
 Extension
MOVEMENTS Circumduction

OF THE Protraction

JOINTS Abduction Retraction

Dorsal Flex
CONTENTS
Adduction Plantar Flexion
Flexion Inversion
Eversion
 ABDUCTION
Lateral movement away from
the midline of the trunk in the
frontal plane.
 ADDUCTION
Movement toward the midline
of the trunk in the frontal plane.
 FLEXION
(bending)
Bending movement that results
in a descrease of the angle in point.

EXTENSION
(straightening)
Bending movement that results
in a descrease of the angle in point.
PROTRACTIO
N
Forward movement of the
shoulder girdle away from the
spine.

RETRACTIO
N
Backward movement of
the shoulder girdle towards
the spine.
 INVERSION

Turning the sole of the

foot inward.

EVERSION
Turning the sole of
the foot outward
 DORSAL FLEX OR
DORSIFLEXION
Flexion movement of the ankle that
results in the top of the foot moving
toward the anterior tibia bone.
(pointing the heel to the ground)

PLANTAR FLEXION
Extension movement of the ankle that
results in the foot/or toes moving away
from the body.
(pointing your toes to the ground)
CIRCUMDUCTION
Circular movement of a limb
that delineates an arc or a cane.
 THE END
Memorize these movements for the upcoming quiz.