
What is the anatomical position of the body quizlet?
What is Anatomical Position? Standard reference position of the body used to describe the location of structures. Standing upright with feet together, hands by the side, and palms facing forward. used in reference to be to be closer or farther from the structures origins.
What is the anatomical position and what is its purpose?
Anatomical position: The position with the body erect with the arms at the sides and the palms forward. The anatomical position is of importance in anatomy because it is the position of reference for anatomical nomenclature.
What are the 4 main anatomical positions?
Anatomically, there are four main positions: supine, prone, right lateral recumbent, and left lateral recumbent.
What are the 7 anatomical positions?
The main directions for parts of the body are superior, inferior, anterior, posterior, medial, and lateral, whereas the terms proximal and distal are more appropriate for the limbs (Figs. 1.6.
What is the correct anatomical position called?
Standard anatomical position: The regions of the body in standard anatomical position, in which the body is erect. In humans, the standard anatomical position of the skull is called the Frankfurt plane.
What are the 5 anatomical levels of the human body?
These include the chemical, cellular, tissue, organ, organ system, and the organism level. Higher levels of organization are built from lower levels.
What are the types of body position?
The four main anatomical positions are: supine, prone, right lateral recumbent, and left lateral recumbent. Each position is used in different medical circumstances.
What are the 10 major anatomical positions?
The main ones in the human body are the head, neck, thorax, abdomen, pelvis, together with the upper and lower extremities. The upper limb is divided into shoulder, arm, elbow, forearm, wrist, and hand. The lower limb consists of the hip, gluteal, thigh, knee, leg, ankle, and foot.
What are the 20 anatomical directions?
Anatomical Directional TermsAnterior: In front of, front.Posterior: After, behind, following, toward the rear.Distal: Away from, farther from the origin.Proximal: Near, closer to the origin.Dorsal: Near the upper surface, toward the back.Ventral: Toward the bottom, toward the belly.Superior: Above, over.More items...•
What are 8 anatomical terms?
To compare the location of body parts relative to each other, anatomy uses some universal directional terms: anterior, posterior, ventral, dorsal, distal, proximal, medial, lateral, median, superior, inferior, external, internal, frontal, occipital, rostral, caudal, superficial, deep, central, peripheral, ipsilateral, ...
What are the 4 planes sections that can be used to describe human anatomy?
There are three basic reference planes used in anatomy: the sagittal plane, the coronal plane, and the transverse plane.
What are the 4 anatomical planes and how do they divide the body?
Planes: Because who said anatomy didn't require an imagination?Frontal (Coronal) planeDivides the body into anterior (front) and posterior (back) portionsTransverse planeDivides the body into superior (upper) and inferior (lower) portionsSagittal planeVertical plane that divides the body into right and left sides.2 more rows•Oct 17, 2013
What are the 4 external body parts?
List of external organs of the body: Mouth, Leg, Hand, Heart, Skull, Eyes, Nostrils, Skin, Nose.
What are the 6 types of anatomical movements?
10.2: Body MovementsFlexion & Extension.Abduction & Adduction.Circumduction.Elevation & Depression.Internal/Medial Rotation & External/Lateral Rotation.Dorsiflexion & Plantar Flexion.Pronation & Supination.Inversion & Eversion.More items...•
What is anatomical position?
Anatomical position, or standard anatomical position, refers to the specific body orientation used when describing an individual’s anatomy. Standar...
Why is anatomical position important?
Standard anatomical position provides a clear and consistent way of describing human anatomy and physiology. When assessing an individual’s anatomy...
What are the five regions of the body?
The five regions of the body include the head, neck, torso, upper extremities, and lower extremities. The head region includes the skull and face....
What are the three planes of the body?
The three planes of the body are the sagittal plane, the coronal plane, and the transverse plane. These planes are imaginary reference points that...
What are the most important facts to know about anatomical position?
Anatomical position, or standard anatomical position, refers to the positioning of the body when it is standing upright and facing forward with eac...
What is anatomical position?
Anatomical Position Definition. Standard anatomical position is a way of describing the anatomy of an organism so that it is easy to understand what part of the body is being talked about no matter what direction the organism is facing or where its appendages/limbs are. In humans, standard anatomical position is defined as standing up straight ...
What is the standard anatomical position for animals?
In animals that are quadrupedal, or walk on four legs, standard anatomical position is with all four feet on the ground so that the belly of the animal is roughly parallel with the ground.
What is the difference between proximal and distal limbs?
The proximal part of a limb is the part close to where it joins the body, while the distal part is the part furthest away. For example, the tips of our fingers are the most distal part of our arms. All of these terms are used for relative positions as well as standard anatomical position; for example, the neck is superior to the chest, ...
What is the difference between cranial and caudal?
Cranial refers to being closer to the head, while caudal refers to being closer to the tail. These terms are usually used to describe the anatomy of quadrupedal organisms with tails, and not humans.
What are the three planes that divide the body into sections?
They are the sagittal plane, the coronal plane, and the transverse plane.
What is the dorsal side of an organism?
The dorsal side is the back side of an organism; think of the dorsal fin of a fish. The ventral side is the belly side of an organism. When a human is in standard anatomical position, the ventral side is facing the viewer. When a four-legged animal such as a dog is in standard anatomical position, the ventral side is their belly, ...
Which plane divides the body into dorsal and ventral sides?
The coronal plane divides the body into dorsal and ventral sides. The sagittal plane divides the body into left and right, while the transverse plane divides the body into cranial and caudal. Choice D, caudal, is not an anatomical plane.
Why are anatomical positions important?
Anatomical positions are important because they give us a frame of reference for describing the body. Similar to a compass, they give us a universal way to describe the position of an organism.
What is the supine position?
Supine position refers to a horizontal position with the face and upper body facing up. In the supine position, the ventral side is up and the dorsal side is down.
What is the opposite of the right lateral recumbent position?
The left lateral recumbent position is the opposite of the right lateral recumbent position. In this position, the individual is lying on their left side. This position makes it easier to access a patient's right side.
Why do surgeons use prone positions?
It is most commonly used for surgeries requiring access to the spine. The prone position also helps to increase oxygenation in patients with respiratory distress.
What is the difference between a recumbent and a lateral position?
The word "lateral" means "to the side," while "recumbent" means "lying down.". In the right lateral recumbent position, the individual is lying on their right side. This position makes it easier to access a patient's left side.
How many body positions are there in biology?
In human biology/ anatomy we have three body position recognized for study purpose. And this article is all about this only. We will see what these body anatomical positions are what they are called.
What are the three body positions?
Ok, coming to the point, the three body positions are: 1: Supine. 2: Prone. 3: Anatomical body positions. Let’s discuss one by one.
What is the difference between body position and posture?
Body “POSITIONS” and “POSTURE” are two distinct terms.#N#‘Position’ is the position of the body and body parts in relation to space. It is passive in nature and non-responsive.#N#‘Posture’ is dynamic in nature.#N#For example, someone is sitting on a chair in a sitting position. But, he/she is actually sitting in a bending posture which is a wrong posture.
How many names are there for the human body system?
Although, the body can be positioned in multiple ways, for the study purpose the human body system can be recognized under three names. These body positions are very basic positions but one needs to keep their eyes on the small details.
Is standing anatomical?
Anatomical position is standing position. But, not all standing position can be anatomical position. If a person is standing relaxed with hand on the waist and staring towards ground, cannot be anatomical position. To call a standing position truly anatomical position, here are few details we should make sure to follow.
What is the anatomical position of the human body?
The human body’s anatomical position is described as any region of the body in a definite stance—when the body is in an erect position, facing towards the observer, directed forward, and feet flat on the ground. The arms are at the side of the body, palms forward and feet together.
Why use anatomical directional terms?
Anatomical directional terms are used to point out definite anatomical structures based on someone’s perspective. It is better to have a specific pair of terms to allow you to easily find an organ with respect to the location or position of another. It is a language commonly used to navigate yourself through anatomy and body structures easily.
What is the position of the body when it is supine?
The supine position, which is also referred to as Dorsal Decubitus, is when the anatomical position of the body is positioned face up. It is defined by horizontally lying down with the torso and face facing upwards.
Why is it important to standardize the position of the organism's body?
In studying Anatomy and Physiology, it is important to standardize the position of the organism’s body to avoid disorientation and confusion. Every other organism is unique and can take on different positions that might change the placement of its internal and external organs. Descriptions are standardized even when the organism’s limbs are in a different position, thus providing a more accurate location of the organs when studying the anatomies of 2 different representatives of the same species.
What is the abduction position for a vascular surgeon?
The arms are abducted to not more than 90 degrees with palms down and elbows flexed to retain the alignment of wrists and arms. This position is commonly used during colorectal surgeries, tendons, neurosurgeries, and vascular surgeries.
Which side of the foot is the posterior?
From an anatomical perspective, the right will be on the right, and the posterior will always be the back part of the body.
What is the difference between proximal and distal areas?
The proximal and distal areas are equivalent to areas nearer or further. It is usually used when describing the position of the structures, such as the arms and feet with respect to the trunk—proximal means closer to the body and distal means further from the body.
What is the position of a human?
Anatomical position for a human is when the human stands up, faces forward, has arms extended, and has palms facing out.
When anatomists or health professionals identify the location of a structure in the human body, do they do so?
When anatomists or health professionals identify the location of a structure in the human body, they do so in reference to a body in anatomical position. That is, they figure out the location based on the assumption that the body is starting out in anatomical position.
What is the difference between anatomical right and anatomical left?
When referencing a structure that is on one side of the body or the other, we use the terms “anatomical right” and “anatomical left.” Anatomical right means that the structure is on the side that a person in anatomical position would consider their right-hand side (not necessarily on the right of the viewer) and anatomical left means that the structure is the side that a person in anatomical position would consider their left-hand side (which likewise is not necessarily the left side of the viewer.)
What is the difference between medial and lateral?
A structure that medial to another is closer to the midline of the body’s trunk. A feature that is lateral to another is farther away from the midline of the trunk.
What is superior to inferior?
Superior/Inferior –Equivalent to above and below when moving along the long axis of a body in anatomical position. The structure that is superior to another is above the second structure when the body is in anatomical position. A feature that is inferior to another is below the second feature when the body is in anatomical position.
How to view the interior of a body?
To view the interior of a body, we expose the organs and structures that are visible when that body is cut open along one of four commonly used sectional planes. These planes are the different directions a body is cut to reveal different views of its internal structures.
What does "proximal" mean in anatomy?
A feature that is proximal to something else is closer to the limb’s point of attachment to the trunk. A structure that is distal to something else is farther away from the limb’s point of attachment. Less precisely but still occasionally used in the trunk of the body itself to indicate whether something is closer to (prox imal) or farther away from (distal) something else.
Which direction does the body run?
runs horizontally from right to left, dividing the body into superior and inferior parts
What is the space below the chest containing organs such as the liver, stomach, gallbladder, and?
space below the chest containing organs such as the liver, stomach, gallbladder, and intestines; also called the abdomen
How many bones are there in the wrist?
any of the eight small bones of the wrist
What is abnormality in the body?
abnormalities of the body structure or function that prevents the body from being stable and alive
What does "sole of foot" mean?
relating to or occurring on the undersurface of the foot; sole of foot

Anatomical Position Definition
Function of Standard Anatomical Position
- The purpose of standard anatomical position is to be able to clearly talk about different parts of moving organisms no matter how they are moving or what position they are in. This makes it easier to avoid confusion when discussing anatomy. In humans, standard anatomical position is with the body standing up straight and facing forward, with arms by the sides of the body and pal…
Relative Locations of The Body
- This diagram depicts the body in standard anatomical position and uses positional labels. Let’s take a more detailed look at the labels used for different parts of the anatomy. They are regarded as axes because they are used to describe how near or far a body part is from an end of the organism.
Planes of The Body
- There are three main planes that transect, or divide, the human body into sections to make it easier to describe the locations of body parts and movements. They are the sagittal plane, the coronal plane, and the transverse plane. The sagittal plane runs down the center of the body and divides the body into left and right sides. The coronal plane divides the body into dorsal and vent…
Related Biology Terms
- Anatomy– The branch of biology that studies the structures of organisms’ bodies.
- Anatomical plane– A conceptual plane that is used to divide the body into sections in order to make it easier to discuss anatomy.
- Quadruped– An animal that walks on four legs.
- Caudal– A word used to describe the position of body structures near the tail area of an orga…
- Anatomy– The branch of biology that studies the structures of organisms’ bodies.
- Anatomical plane– A conceptual plane that is used to divide the body into sections in order to make it easier to discuss anatomy.
- Quadruped– An animal that walks on four legs.
- Caudal– A word used to describe the position of body structures near the tail area of an organism; it is also used to describe the back of the skull.
Quiz
- 1. What part of the body is distal to the knee? A. The thigh B. The foot C. The elbow D.The head 2. Which axis is used to describe the position of features in the human head? A. Cranial-Caudal B. Rostral-Caudal C. Dorsal-Ventral D.Medial-Lateral 3. Which anatomical plane divides the body into dorsal and ventral sides? A. Coronal B. Sagittal C. Transverse D.Caudal