Download Body Organization

LECTURE 1 (Introduction to Anatomy)
BODY PLANES
1. Frontal (coronal) Plane: Divides body or organ into anterior/posterior.
2. Sagittal Plane: Divides body or organ into left and right.
a) Midsagittal plane: down the midline, dividing equally right and left
b) Parasagittal plane: divides into unequal right and left parts.
3. Transverse Plane (Cross sec): Divides body or organ into superior/inf. parts
Movements in the Body Planes
 Frontal (coronal) plane motion
– Frontal plane motion is that of washing a window in front of you.
 Sagittal plane motion
– Sagittal plane motion is that of rubbing your palms together in front of
you.
 Transverse plane motion
– Transverse plane motion is that of polishing a coffee table.
Banana demonstration: represents a tube in the body. Stem and base are anterior side:
Make midsagittal section, then parasagittal section.
Make a frontal (coronal) section, cutting off both ends. Then cut just back slice off.
Make a transverse section (cross section).
Make an Oblique Plane section
Transverse
plane
Frontal
plane
Sagittal
plane
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY/REGIONS OF THE BODY
1. Axial Region (Goes down midline of the body)
a) Head
b) Neck
c) Trunk (has 3 parts)
1) Thorax (chest area). Above diaphragm. Contains heart and lungs.
Pectoral Region (chest)
Costal ( rib) margin
2) Abdomen (not called the stomach!). Contains the digestive organs
Lumbar region (low back)
Gluteal region (buttocks)
3) Pelvis (covered by the G-String) Contains urinary and reproductive organs
Inguinal region (Groin)
2. Appendicular Region (limbs)
a) Upper Limbs
1) Axilla (armpit)
2) Arm (Brachium; shoulder to elbow)
Antecubital fossa (inside of elbow, where blood is drawn)
3) Forearm (elbow to wrist). Don’t confuse with arm!
4) Wrist
5) Hand: 4 fingers with 3 phalanges each; thumb with 2 phalanges
Pollex: Thumb
Palmar surface: Palm
2. Appendicular Region (limbs)
b) Lower Limbs
1) Thigh (hip to knee). Don’t confuse with leg!
2) Leg (knee to ankle)
Calf (back of the leg)
Popliteal region (behind knee)
3) Ankle
4) Foot: 5 digits
Hallux: big toe
Plantar surface: sole of foot
BODY CAVITIES
1. Thoracic cavity (contains lungs and heart)
2. Abdominal cavity (contains digestive organs)
3. Pelvic cavity (contains reproductive organs)
The thoracic and abdominal cavities are separated by the diaphragm.
ANATOMICAL POSITION:
The person is standing up straight
The palms face anteriorly
The knees, elbow, and neck are straight (not bent)
The toes point anteriorly, but the fingers point inferiorly
 Once the body is in this position (or imagined to be in this position,) the
positional terms can be used correctly.
 Right or left refers to the PATIENT’S right or left, not yours!
POSITIONAL TERMS
These are terms used to describe the position of certain structures on the body.
Note: These are “relative terms.” This means that these words are usually used in
relating the position of one body structure to another. You can’t say, “He is shorter”. You
have to say, “He is shorter than John”.
Incorrect: the nose is medial
Correct: the nose is medial to the ears
 Anterior (ventral): towards the front of the body (includes palms and soles)
 Posterior (dorsal): towards the back of the body
“The nose is anterior to the eyes.”
“The spine is posterior to the heart.”
 Superior: towards the top of the head
“The neck is superior to the pelvis”
 Inferior: towards the bottom of the feet
 Medial (not middle!): towards the midline. “The heart is medial to the lungs.”
 Lateral: away from the midline of the body
The lungs are lateral to the heart.”
 Intermediate: Between a more medial and a more lateral structure
“The collarbone is intermediate between the breastbone and shoulder”
 Superficial (external): toward the external environment
“The skin is superficial to the muscles.”
 Deep (internal): towards the most internal part of the body
“Bones are deep to the muscles.”
 Proximal: closer to the heart than…. (don’t get this mixed up with superior!)
“The elbow is proximal to the wrist.”
 Distal: farther away from the heart than… (don’t get this mixed up with inferior!)
“The fingers are distal to the wrist.”
 Supine: Laying on one’s back
 Prone: Laying on one’s stomach
Sample questions
 Skin is ____ to the muscles.
 Bones are _____ to the muscles.
 The nose is _____ to the ears.
 The shoulders are _____ to the elbows.
 The wrists are ____ to the elbows.
 The upper extremities are ____ to the abdomen.
 The thumb is ______ to the pinky.







Skin is superficial to the muscles.
Bones are deep to the muscles.
The nose is anterior (or medial) to the ears.
The shoulders are proximal to the elbows.
The wrists are distal to the elbows.
The upper extremities are lateral to the abdomen.
The thumb is lateral to the pinky.
MOVEMENT TERMS
1. Flexion (reduces angle of joint)
2. Extension (increases the angle of a joint; returns part to anatomical position).
3. Hyperextension is extension beyond anatomical position.
4. Dorsiflexion (move toes up in the air; When you stand on your heels with your
toes up in the air, you are dorsiflexing your ankle joints)
5. Plantarflexion (point toes downward; When you stand on your toes, you are
plantarflexing your ankle joints)
6. Abduction (takes body part away from midline in the frontal plane)
7. Adduction (returns body part to midline in the frontal plane)
8. Circumduction (body part can draw a circle in the air)
9. Rotation (to pivot on the axis of a bone, such as shaking head “no”)
10. Internal rotation: to move a limb toward the midline of the body in the
transverse plane; used to describe motions of the shoulder or hips.
11. External rotation: to move a limb away from the midline of the body in the
transverse plane; used to describe motions of the shoulder or hips.
12. Inversion turning body part toward midline; frontal plane only
(Used to describe ands and feet only, although the feet cannot really turn
medially in the sagittal plane because of the shape of the ankle joint.)
13. Eversion (turning body part away from midline; frontal plane only)
Used to describe ands and feet only, although the feet cannot really turn
laterally in the sagittal plane because of the shape of the ankle joint.
14. Supination: a three-plane movement of the hand or foot only, consisting of
inversion, adduction, dorsiflexion
15. Pronation: a three-plane movement of the hand or foot only, consisting of
eversion, abduction, and plantarflexion
Common Confusion of POSITIONS vs. MOVEMENTS
Prone: a POSITION, not a movement; body is lying face down
Pronation: a MOVEMENT; when the palm is turned downward (in Anatomical
Position, the palm will face posterior). The foot can also be pronated; the sole
turns laterally away from the body (turns forearm or foot toward midline; tri-plane
movement). Pronation of the foot is a tri-plane movement of plantarflexion,
abduction, and eversion.
Supine: a POSITION, not a movement; body is laying on the back.
Supination: a MOVEMENT; when the palm is turned upward, like holding a bowl
of soup (in Anatomical Position, the palm will face anterior). The foot can also be
supinated; the sole turns medially towards the body. (turns forearm or foot away
from midline; tri-plane movement). Supination of the foot is a tri-plane movement
of dorsiflexion, adduction, and inversion.
Shoulder and Hip Movements
 Adduction/Abduction: moving your arms/thighs away from the body laterally
 Flexion/Extension: moving your arms/thighs away from the body in front of you
16. Protraction: to project a body part anteriorly, such as the shoulders or jaw
17. Retraction: to pull a body part posteriorly
18. Elevation (raises body part superiorly)
19. Depression (pulls body part inferiorly)
20. Opposition (brings thumb to touch tips of fingers)
Body Membranes
1. Parietal serosa (lines the body wall)
2. Visceral serosa (surrounds organ such as heart or lungs)
3. Serous cavity (space between the parietal and visceral serosa; contains fluid)