Download Anatomical Directions

Anatomical Directions
Anatomy and Physiology 1
Mr. Beyer
Anatomical Position

The body standing upright facing forward,
toes pointing forward, palms facing
forward

The body could also be in this position
laying supine (on its posterior surface)
Anatomical Position
Superior and Inferior
Describes vertical relationship between
structures.
Superior- “above”
Example: Your eyes are superior to your nose
Inferior “below”
Example: Your shin is inferior to your knee
Superior and Inferior
Lateral and Medial
Describes structures that are beside each other as
in left or right
Lateral-means toward the outside of the body
away from the median plane
Example: The right ear is lateral to the
right eye
Medial-means toward the inside of the body
toward the median plane
Example: The nose is medial to the right eye
Lateral and Medial
Anterior and Posterior
Ventral and Dorsal
Directions that describe body parts that are
described as being in front of or behind each
other
Anterior/Ventral: Toward the front of the body
Example: your nose is anterior to your brain
Posterior/Dorsal: Toward the back of the body
Example: The spine is posterior to sternum
(breastbone)
Anterior and Posterior
Ventral and Dorsal
Superficial and Deep
Describe distance near or far from the surface
(depth)
Superficial: near the surface
Example: The skin is superficial to the muscles
beneath it
Deep: describes something below the surface or
away from the surface of the body
Example: The heart is deep to the sternum bone
Superficial and Deep
Proximal and Distal

Used to describe the relationship of the bones of
our appendages (that are arranged end to end)

Proximal: the end of the long bone that is
nearest to its attachment to trunk of the body

Distal: the end of the long bone that is further
from its attachment to the trunk of the body


Example: the hand is distal to the wrist
Example: the wrist is proximal to the hand
Proximal and Distal