Download Language of Anatomy

Language of Anatomy
Why do we have an
“Anatomical position”?
• Anatomical reference points
• Common to all health care professionals
– Physiotherapy
– Nurses
– Physicians
– Chiropractors
– Acupuncturist
– Massage therapists
Directional Terms
Superior (cranial)
• Up towards the head
• As in “I think therefore I am
superior”
• Above
• Head is superior to the
abdomen
Inferior (caudal)
Down towards the lower
body
Worms are below my feet so
they are inferior
Below
Umbilicus is inferior to the
chin
Yes there are more
Anterior/Ventral Towards the
front of the body
• In front of something
Posterior
Towards the back of the body
• Behind something
• The sternum is anterior to
the spine
• The heart is posterior to the
sternum
More?
Medial
Towards the middle or midline
of the body
On the inner side of something
related to the middle
Okay easy way to remember :
closer to your heart
The heart is medial to the
shoulder
Lateral
• Away from the middle or
midline
• Outside of the body
• Further away from the
heart
• The arms are lateral to the
chest
You are killing me
Proximal (proximity)
Used when talking about the
arms and legs
Closest part of the arm or leg
to the attachment point on the
body
The elbow is proximal to the
wrist (it is closer to the
attachment point of the arm to
the body)
Distal (distance)
Used when talking about the
arms and legs
Farthest part away from the
point of attachment to the
body
The knee is distal to the hip
Honestly, there can not be much more,
Please
Superficial (on the surface or
external)
• Towards the surface or at
the surface of the body
• On or just below the skin
• The knife wound was a
superficial cut
Deep (just what it means)
• Away from the body surface
• Underneath
• A gunshot is a deep injury
So how much do you remember?
Answer the following
•
•
•
•
The heart is _____________ to the sternum
The forehead is ____________ to the mouth
The knee is ____________ to the ankle
The little finger is ____________ to the ring
finger
• The eyes are ___________ to the ears
• The spinal cavity is _____________ to the cranial
cavity
• The umbilicus is _______________ compared to
the intestines
Just a few more to make sure you have
got it
•
•
•
•
The fingers are ____________ to the elbow
A gun shot is a ____________ wound
The diaphragm is ____________ to the lungs
The umbilicus is _______________to the
clavicle (collar bone)
Body Cavities: we have two large ones
that are subdivided
• Dorsal Cavity
• Ventral Cavity
Dorsal Cavity
• Dorsal cavity consists of the:
• CRANIAL:
• Brain
• VERTEBRAL:
• Spinal Cord
The Ventral Cavity is subdivided into 3
• Thoracic containing?
• Lungs, heart, trachea, esophagus
• Abdominal containing?
• Stomach, liver, spleen, intestines, kidneys,
pancreas, gallbladder
• Pelvic containing?
• Bladder, reproductive organs, rectum
Important muscle !!!!!
• The DIAPHRAGM
• So what exactly is a diaphragm and why is it so
uncomfortable when you hit it?
• How exactly do you hit a diaphragm?
• Ever been winded?
Slicing up the body
• Sagittal
– Cutting the body into a right and left side
– Medial and lateral side
– Mid-sagittal ?
• Frontal or Coronal
– Cutting the body into front and back or
– Anterior and posterior
• Transverse
– Cutting the body into top and bottom
– Superior and inferior