THE ANATOMICAL POSITION

Introduction:
1. What do we call the body posture which is used to locate anatomical parts in relation to each other?
2. How many planes do standard x-ray images show?
3. What division is commonly used as a method of location of pain, lesions, abrasions, punctures burns of the
lower torso?

EXERCISE 1. Read the text and find justification for the answer to one of the questions above.

In the anatomical position the body is upright. The arms are by the sides and the legs are parallel to
each other. The face, the eyes, the palms of the hands and the feet are all directed forwards. The
anatomical position is the basis of all descriptions of the position of structures in the body. For
example, the head is above the abdomen, even when the patient is lying down.

Description may relate to directly to the anatomical position, for example, the trunk is the central
part of the body, the legs extend downwards. Description may also be made with reference to
other structures. For example, the thorax is above the abdomen, the elbow is between the arm and
forearm.

The following locative adjectives are commonly used in medical writing to describe situation or
place.

1) right, left
2) inner, outer
3) upper, lower
4) internal, external
5) superficial, deep (nearer and farther from the surface of the body)
6) proximal, distal (especially of limbs nearer and farther from the trunk)
7) superior, inferior (higher and lower)
8) anterior, posterior (nearer the front, nearer the back)
9) ventral, dorsal (the front, the back)
10) cranial, caudal (toward the head, toward the lower part of the body)
11) medial, lateral (nearer and farther form the midline)

For example the head is superior to the trunk, the upper limbs are lateral to the trunk, the
abdomen is inferior to the thorax and the hand is distal to the arm, the front surface of the body is
the ventral surface, the back surface is the dorsal surface of the body.

EXERCISE 2. Use the appropriate adjective to complete the following sentences.

1) The eyes are …………………………………………… to the nose.
2) The mouth is …………………………………………… to the nose.
3) The thorax is ……………………………………………to the abdomen.
4) The elbow is …………………………………………… to the wrist.
5) The navel is on the …………………………………………… surface of the body.
6) The shoulder is toward the …………………………………………… end of the body while the hip is
toward the …………………………………………… end of the body.
7) The palm of the hand is on its …………………………………………… surface.
8) The knuckles are on the …………………………………………… surface of the hand.

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9) The bones of the ankle are on …………………………………………… and ……………………………………………
sides of the leg.

EXERCISE 3. Complete the following sentences choosing suitable verbs of position from TABLE 1.

TABLE 1. Verbs denoting position, direction and structure.

Position Direction Structure

be be directed be made up of

be found lead consist of

lie run be composed of

be situated extend be built up of

be located pass contain

descend comprise

ascend

1) The nose ………………………………………. in the central part of the face.

2) The cheeks ………………………………………. on either side of the face.
3) The forehead ………………………………………. above the nose.
4) The mouth ………………………………………. the nose.
5) The diaphragm ………………………………………. between the thorax and the abdomen.
6) The abdomen ………………………………………. below the diaphragm.

Write out the following sentences. Choose suitable verbs of direction (TABLE 1).
1) The oesophagus ………………………………………. downwards to the stomach.
2) The aorta ……………………………………….through the diaphragm.
3) The trachea ………………………………………. from the larynx to the main bronchi.
4) The trachea ………………………………………. in front of the oesophagus.
5) The optic nerve ………………………………………. from the retina into the cranial cavity.
6) The acoustic nerve ………………………………………. from the organ of Corti into the brain.

Complete the following sentences and choose suitable expressions (TABLE 1).
1) The skull ………………………………………. the brain.
2) The trunk ………………………………………. two cavities.
3) The upper limb ………………………………………. three segments.
4) The lower limb ………………………………………. three parts.
5) The upper limb ………………………………………. two joints.
6) The lower limb ………………………………………. two joints.

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EXERCISE 4. LISTENING. Presenting complaints. Work in pairs. What do you think each patient in
pictures a-h might be complaining of?

Listen and match each picture with a

A E conversation.

1. ………… 2. ………… 3. ………… 4. …………

5. ………… 6. ………… 7. ………… 8. …………

Listen again. What three questions are used

B F by the doctor to ask about the presenting
complaint (PC)?

What’s …………………………………………………… ?
Can you tell me what ……………………………. ?
What can ……………………………………………… ?

C G Listen to five people stating where they are

having a problem. Which part of the body are
they referring to?

1. ……………………………………………………
2. ……………………………………………………
3. ……………………………………………………
D H 4. ……………………………………………………
5. ……………………………………………………

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EXERCISE 5. Provide anatomical terms for the body regions labelled with common terms.

(11…………………..)
(1…………….) (12…………………..)
(2…………….) (13…………………..)
(3…………….)

(4…………….) (14…………….)
(15…………….)

(5…………….)
(16…………….)
(17…………….)

(6…………….) (18……………….)

(19…………………)
(7…………….)
(20……………….)

(21……………….)
(8…………….)
(22……………….)

(9…………….)

(23…………………..)

(10……………
.)
(24…………………..)

Use the following terms:

brachial • cranial • phalangeal • pedal • cephalic • frontal • crural • patellar • facial • ocular • thoracic
• mammary • axillary • antecubital • pubic • umbilical • palmar • femoral • carpal • antebrachial • oral
• phalangeal • tarsal • inguinal

frontal (coronal) plane

nsverse (horizontal) plane
cranial cavity
frontal (coronal) plane
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EXERCISE 6. COMMON TERMS FOR BODY REGIONS, POSTERIOR VIEW.
Provide anatomical terms for the body regions labelled with common terms.

(1…………………..)

(2…………………..)

(3…………………..)

(4…………………..)

(5…………………..)

(6…………………..)
(7…………………..)

(12…………………..)
(8…………………..)

(9…………………..)

(10…………………..)

(11…………………..)

Use the following terms:

• popliteal • parietal • gluteal • sacral • occipital • tarsal • cervical • iliac • lumbar • plantar •
brachial • scapular

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EXERCISE 7. KEY TERMS. Match the terms with their definitions.

1. The ventral cavity that is below the abdominal cavity

2. The large ventral cavity below the diaphragm and above the
pelvic cavity
3. The large serous membrane that lines the abdominopelvic cavity
and covers the organs within it
4. Plane that divides the body into right and left portions
5. The large ventral cavity between the diaphragm and pelvis that
includes the abdominal and pelvic cavities
6. The dorsal cavity that contains the spinal cord
7. Standard position for anatomical studies, in which the body is
erect and facing forward, the arms are at the sides with palms
forward, and the feet are parallel
8. The ventral cavity above the diaphragm; the chest cavity
9. Plane of section that separates the body into anterior (front) and
posterior (back) portions.
10. The dorsal cavity that contains the brain
11. Plane that divides the body into superior (upper) and
inferior(lower) portions
12. The muscle that separates the thoracic from the abdominal cavity

Peritoneum abdominopelvic cavity sagittal plane

Diaphragm anatomic position abdominal cavity
cranial cavity pelvic cavity transverse (horizontal ) plane
spinal cavity(canal) thoracic cavity frontal(coronal) plane

EXERCISE 8. ROOTS FOR REGIONS OF THE HEAD AND TRUNK. Study the table and do points 1-7 on
the next page.

ROOT MEANING EXAMPLE DEFINITION OF EXAMPLE

cephal/o head abnormal smallness of the head
microcephaly
cervic/o neck pertaining to the neck and face
cervicofacial
thorac/o chest, thorax outside the thorax
extrathoracic
abdomin/o abdomen within the abdomen
intra-abdominal
celi/o abdomen pertaining to the abdomen
celiac
instrument for viewing the peritoneal
lapar/o abdominal wall
laparoscope cavity through the abdominal wall

lumbar region, lower pertaining to the chest and lumbar

lumb/o
back thoracolumbar region

periton, peritone/o peritoneum peritoneal pertaining to the peritoneum

Write the adjective that fits each of the following definitions. The correct suffix is given in
parentheses.
1. Pertaining to (-ic) the head ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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2. Pertaining to (-ic) the chest ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Pertaining to (-al) the neck …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. Pertaining to (-ar) the lower back ………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. Pertaining to (-al) the abdomen …………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Fill in the blanks:

6. Peritonitis is inflammation (-itis) of the …………………………………………………………………………………………
7. Celiocentesis is surgical puncture (centesis) of the ……………………………………………………………………….

EXERCISE 9. ROOTS FOR THE EXTREMITIES. Study the table and do points 1-6.

ROOT MEANING EXAMPLE DEFINITION OF EXAMPLE

acro extremity, end acrodermatitis inflammation of the skin of the

extremities
brachi/o arm antebrachium forearm

dactyl/o finger, toe polydactyly having more than the normal

number of fingers
or toes
ped/o Foot dextropedal using the right foot in preference to
the left
pod/o foot podiatric pertaining to study and treatment of
the foot

Fill in the blanks:

1. Acrokinesia is excess motion (-kinesia) of the _________________________________________.
2. Animals that brachiate, such as monkeys, swing from place to place using their ______________.
3. A dactylospasm is a cramp (spasm) of the ____________________________________________.
4. The term brachiocephalic refers to the _______________________________________________.
5. Podiatry is a specialty that treats problems of the ______________________________________.
6. A bipedal animal has two __________________________________________________________.

EXERCISE 10. PREFIXES FOR POSITION AND DIRECTION.

ROOT MEANING EXAMPLE DEFINITION OF EXAMPLE

circum- around circumoral around the mouth
peri- around perivascular around a vessel (vascul/o)
intra- in, within intrauterine within the uterus
epi- on, over epithelium tissue that covers surfaces
extra- outside extracellular outside a cell or cells
infra-* below infrapatellar below the kneecap (patella)
sub-* below, under sublingual under the tongue (lingu/o)
inter- between intercostal between the ribs (cost/o)
a location near or beside another
juxta- near, beside juxtaposition
structure
near, beside
para- parasagittal near or beside a sagittal plane
behind
retro- backward retroperitoneal behind the peritoneum
supra- above suprascapular above the scapula (shoulder blade)
*Also indicates degree.

Synonyms. Write a word that has the same meaning as each of the words below:
1. circumoral - …………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. subscapular - ………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. circumocular - …………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. infracostal - …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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Opposites. Write a word that means the opposite of each of the following words:
5. infrapatellar- ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6. intracellular - …………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Define each of the following terms:
7. paranasal - ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
8. retrouterine - …………………………………………………………………………………………………..
9. suprapelvic - ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
10. intravascular – ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Define the following terms:

11. supracervical
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
12. interphalangeal
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
13. epicranial
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
14. infraumbilical
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
15. parasacral
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

EXERCISE 11. Write the name of each plane on the corresponding line below.

sagittal plane
frontal (coronal) plane
transverse (horizontal) plane

1. ……………………………………………………….
2. ………………………………………………………
3. ………………………………………………………