Describe the anatomical position Body erect; feet flat, facing forward; eyes facing forward; arms to the side, palms
facing forward with thumbs pointing out.
Anterior (or ventral) Toward the front of the body
Posterior (or dorsal) toward the back of the body
Superior toward the head (or above)
Inferior Toward the feet or below
Medial toward the midline
Lateral away from the midline
Proximal Closer to the point of attachment
, Human Anatomy Lab Week 1 | Anatomical Terminology | Complete Lab Review & Practice Questions
Distal away from the point of attachment
Superficial near the surface
Deep away from the surface
sagittal or parasagittal plane divides body into left and right
Midsagittal (or median) a plane that divides the body into equal right and left parts
Frontal (or coronal) divides the body into anterior and posterior parts
Transverse (or cross-section) divides the body into superior and inferior parts
Head Cephalic