INTRODUCTION TO ANATOMY,

TERMS OF POSITION AND

MOVEMENT

DR. PASHMINA SHAIKH

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
Department of Anatomy
 Definition
• Anatomy: branch of science which deals with the study
of structure (external as well as internal) of the human
body.
• Branches of anatomy:
1. Gross anatomy: study of structure of human body by
dissection, carried out with nacked eye.
2. Histology: study of structure of human body by
making slides, carried out with the help of microscope.
3. Embryology: study the various stages of development
of human body
 DESCRIPTIVE ANATOMIC TERMS

• I. ANATOMIC POSITION
• The person is standing erect,
• The upper limbs by the sides and
• Face and palms of the hands directed forward.
• Human body has two surfaces: 1) anterior /
ventral surface 2) posterior / dorsal surface
• Two ends 1) upper / superior / cephalic 2) lower /
inferior / caudal
• Two sides 1) right side 2) left side
DESCRIPTIVE ANATOMIC TERMS
 II. TERMS OF PLANES

• Median sagittal plane

• This plane passes through the centre of the body, dividing it into
equal right and left halves.
• Paramedian plane
• This plane lies parallel to the median plane
• Coronal plane
• This plane is also vertical passes through center of the body,
dividing it into front and back halves (ant, posterior).
• Transverse or Horizontal plane
• These planes are at right angles, to both the median & the coronal
planes and divide the body in to upper and lower halves (sup, inf).
TERMS OF POSITIONS RELATED TO PLANES
• Medial & Lateral
• (denotes relative nearness from the midline of the body)
• Structure situated nearer to the median plane is called medial position.
• Structure situated further away from the median plane is called lateral
position.
• Anterior & posterior
• (denotes front & back of the body)
• Structure situated nearer to the anterior body surface than other structure is
called anterior to the other—In case of hand, term palmar can be used in place
of anterior— In case of foot, term plantar can be used in place of posterior.
• Structure situated nearer to the posterior body surface than other structure is
called posterior to the other—In case of hand, term dorsal can be used in place
of posterior— In case of foot, term dorsal can be used in place of posterior.
TERMS OF POSITIONS RELATED TO PLANES
• Proximal & Distal
• (denotes relative distance from roots of the limbs)
• Structure situated nearer to the root of the limb than other
structure is called proximal to the other.
• Structure situated further away from the root of the limb than
other structure is called distal to the other.
• Superficial & Deep
• (denotes relative distance from body surface)
• Structure situated nearer to the surface of the body than other
structure is called superficial to the other.
• Structure situated further away from the surface of the body than
other structure is called deep to the other.
TERMS OF POSITIONS RELATED TO PLANES

• Superior & Inferior

• (denotes relative distance from upper & lower ends of
the body)
• Structure situated nearer to the upper end of the body
than other structure is called superior to the other—In
case of head, term cranial or cephalic can be used in
place of superior.
• Structure situated further away from the upper end of
the body than other structure is called inferior to the
other—In case of head, term caudal can be used in place
of inferior.
 TERMS OF MOVEMENTS
• Flexion & Extension
• Flexion means bending a joint.
• Extension means straightening a joint.
• Adduction & Abduction
• Adduction is a movement of the limb towards the midline.
• Abduction is a movement of the limb away from the midline.
• Medial rotation & Lateral rotation
• Medial rotation is movement that brings the anterior surface of the part facing medially.
• Lateral rotation is movement that brings the anterior surface of the part facing laterally.
• Circumduction
• It is the combination in sequence, of the movements of Flexion, Abduction, Extension and
Adduction OR VICE VERSA.
• Pronation & Supination of the forearm
• Pronation is the medial rotation of the forearm in such a manner that the palm of the hand
faces posteriorly.
• Supination is the lateral rotation of the forearm in such a manner that the palm of the hand
faces anteriorly.
• Invesion & Eversion of the foot
• Inversion is the movement of the foot in such a manner that the sole of the foot faces medially.
• Eversion is the movement of the foot in such a manner that the sole of the foot faces laterally.