Anatomical Directions Anatomy and Physiology 1 Mr. Beyer

Anatomical Position The body standing upright facing forward, toes pointing forward, palms facing forward 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) 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) 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 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 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 hand is distal to the wrist Example: the wrist is proximal to the hand Example: the wrist is proximal to the hand

Proximal and Distal