General anatomy complete
Medical Physiology (University of Nairobi)
General anatomy complete
Medical Physiology (University of Nairobi)
lOMoARcPSD|47166518lOMoARcPSD|47166518
GENERAL ANATOMY
REVIEW NOTES
Anatomical position
Anatomy is a descriptive study of the various parts of the body and the relationship of
its constituent parts to each other. All descriptions of the human body are based on a
fixed position named Anatomical position. In this position, an individual is
standing erect, with the upper limbs by the sides in supine position (the
palm looks forward and the thumb is lateral) with feet together and the face
forward.
It is essential to learn the anatomical position because all directional terminology used
in anatomy refers to the body in this position. Description of all relations and positions of
the vessels, nerves, organs and other regions of the body is based on that position.
Terms related to position and directions:
______________________________________________________________________________
Term Definition Example
______________________________________________________________________________
Superior (cranial, Towards the upper part of the The eyes are superior to the nose
Cephalic) body or structure; above
,Inferior (caudal) Towards the lower part of the The mouth is inferior to the nose
body or structure; below
Anterior (ventral) Towards the front of the body Female breast is anterior to the ches
or structure; infront
Median Exactly the middle of the body The nose is a midline structure
(midline)
Medial Towards the midline of the body The chest wall is medial to the
arm
; on the inner side of
Lateral Away from the midline of the The arm is lateral to the chest
wall
body; on the outer side of
Intermediate Between a more medial and The middle finger is intermediate
a more lateral structure between the ring and index
fingers
Proximal Close to the point of attachment The elbow is proximal to the wrist
of a limb to the body trunk
Distal Away from the point of attachment The ankle is distal to the knee
of a limb to the body trunk
External Away from the center of External carotid artery is
an organ or cavity outside the skull cavity
Internal Close to the center of Internal carotid artery is
an organ or cavity inside the skull cavity
Superficial Towards the body surface The skin is superficial to the
muscles
2
Downloaded by Austine Wanjala () lOMoARcPSD|47166518
Deep Away from the body surface The bone is deep to skin
Ipsilateral Same side of the body The left hand and the left
foot are ipsilateral structures
Contralateral Opposite sides of the body The right hand and the left
,foot are contralateral
structures
Supine position The body is lying on the back
Prone position The body is lying with the face downward
Terms related to movements:
Flexion: Decreasing the angle of the joint and bringing the two bones closer
together.
It approximate the ventral surfaces together (the intrauterine fetal
position).
Extension: The reverse of flexion. It occurs in the same axis in the opposite
direction.
Abduction: Moving away from the body (or part) midline.
Adduction: Moving towards the body (or part) midline. Both abduction and
adduction
occur at the same axis, which lies at right angle to that of flexion and
extension.
Circumduction: It is a combination of flexion, extension, adduction and abduction. It
combines almost all the movements possible at the shoulder and hip
joints.
Rotation: Turning movement of a bone around its own long axis.
Medial rotation: The limbs anterior surface turns towards the median plane of the
body
(internal rotation).
Lateral rotation: Is the opposite movement (external rotation).
Supination: Supination occurs when the forearm rotates laterally so that the palm
faces
forward, the thumb is lateral and the radius is parallel to the ulna.
, Pronation: Pronation occurs when the forearm rotates medially so that the palm
faces
backward, the thumb is medial and the radius crosses the ulna.
Protraction: Nonangular movement in anterior direction.
Retraction: Nonangular movement in posterior direction.
Inversion: Special movement of the foot where the sole is turned medially.
Eversion: Special movement of the foot where the sole is turned laterally.
Elevation: Lifting a body part superiorly.
Depression: Moving the elevated part inferiorly.
Opposition: Movement by which the thumb moves to touch other fingers.
Body planes and sections:
3
Downloaded by Austine Wanjala () Sagittal plane: is a vertical plane passing through the
center of the body dividing it
into
right and left halves. It lies exactly in the midline of the body ( median
plane) or midsagittal plane.
Parasagittal planes: other planes on both sides of the sagittal plane.
Coronal (Frontal) plane: is a vertical plane at right angle to the sagittal plane it
divides
the body into anterior and posterior halves.
Horizontal plane (transverse plane, cross section): at right to both sagittal and
coronal planes , dividing the body
into superior and inferior
parts at different levels.
Oblique plane: any plane that lies diagonally between horizontal and vertical planes.
Skin “Integument”
Medical Physiology (University of Nairobi)
General anatomy complete
Medical Physiology (University of Nairobi)
lOMoARcPSD|47166518lOMoARcPSD|47166518
GENERAL ANATOMY
REVIEW NOTES
Anatomical position
Anatomy is a descriptive study of the various parts of the body and the relationship of
its constituent parts to each other. All descriptions of the human body are based on a
fixed position named Anatomical position. In this position, an individual is
standing erect, with the upper limbs by the sides in supine position (the
palm looks forward and the thumb is lateral) with feet together and the face
forward.
It is essential to learn the anatomical position because all directional terminology used
in anatomy refers to the body in this position. Description of all relations and positions of
the vessels, nerves, organs and other regions of the body is based on that position.
Terms related to position and directions:
______________________________________________________________________________
Term Definition Example
______________________________________________________________________________
Superior (cranial, Towards the upper part of the The eyes are superior to the nose
Cephalic) body or structure; above
,Inferior (caudal) Towards the lower part of the The mouth is inferior to the nose
body or structure; below
Anterior (ventral) Towards the front of the body Female breast is anterior to the ches
or structure; infront
Median Exactly the middle of the body The nose is a midline structure
(midline)
Medial Towards the midline of the body The chest wall is medial to the
arm
; on the inner side of
Lateral Away from the midline of the The arm is lateral to the chest
wall
body; on the outer side of
Intermediate Between a more medial and The middle finger is intermediate
a more lateral structure between the ring and index
fingers
Proximal Close to the point of attachment The elbow is proximal to the wrist
of a limb to the body trunk
Distal Away from the point of attachment The ankle is distal to the knee
of a limb to the body trunk
External Away from the center of External carotid artery is
an organ or cavity outside the skull cavity
Internal Close to the center of Internal carotid artery is
an organ or cavity inside the skull cavity
Superficial Towards the body surface The skin is superficial to the
muscles
2
Downloaded by Austine Wanjala () lOMoARcPSD|47166518
Deep Away from the body surface The bone is deep to skin
Ipsilateral Same side of the body The left hand and the left
foot are ipsilateral structures
Contralateral Opposite sides of the body The right hand and the left
,foot are contralateral
structures
Supine position The body is lying on the back
Prone position The body is lying with the face downward
Terms related to movements:
Flexion: Decreasing the angle of the joint and bringing the two bones closer
together.
It approximate the ventral surfaces together (the intrauterine fetal
position).
Extension: The reverse of flexion. It occurs in the same axis in the opposite
direction.
Abduction: Moving away from the body (or part) midline.
Adduction: Moving towards the body (or part) midline. Both abduction and
adduction
occur at the same axis, which lies at right angle to that of flexion and
extension.
Circumduction: It is a combination of flexion, extension, adduction and abduction. It
combines almost all the movements possible at the shoulder and hip
joints.
Rotation: Turning movement of a bone around its own long axis.
Medial rotation: The limbs anterior surface turns towards the median plane of the
body
(internal rotation).
Lateral rotation: Is the opposite movement (external rotation).
Supination: Supination occurs when the forearm rotates laterally so that the palm
faces
forward, the thumb is lateral and the radius is parallel to the ulna.
, Pronation: Pronation occurs when the forearm rotates medially so that the palm
faces
backward, the thumb is medial and the radius crosses the ulna.
Protraction: Nonangular movement in anterior direction.
Retraction: Nonangular movement in posterior direction.
Inversion: Special movement of the foot where the sole is turned medially.
Eversion: Special movement of the foot where the sole is turned laterally.
Elevation: Lifting a body part superiorly.
Depression: Moving the elevated part inferiorly.
Opposition: Movement by which the thumb moves to touch other fingers.
Body planes and sections:
3
Downloaded by Austine Wanjala () Sagittal plane: is a vertical plane passing through the
center of the body dividing it
into
right and left halves. It lies exactly in the midline of the body ( median
plane) or midsagittal plane.
Parasagittal planes: other planes on both sides of the sagittal plane.
Coronal (Frontal) plane: is a vertical plane at right angle to the sagittal plane it
divides
the body into anterior and posterior halves.
Horizontal plane (transverse plane, cross section): at right to both sagittal and
coronal planes , dividing the body
into superior and inferior
parts at different levels.
Oblique plane: any plane that lies diagonally between horizontal and vertical planes.
Skin “Integument”
