Anatomical and Directional Terms
Body Positions:
● Anatomical position: Person stands erect, face forward, arms at the sides with palms facing forward.
● Supine: Person lies down on back, face up.
● Prone: Person lies down on stomach, face down.
Directional Terms:
● Superior: Higher or above or toward the upper ● External (lateral) rotation: rotating movement
part of the body. away from midline
● Inferior: lower or below, or toward the lower ● Elevation: shoulder movement towards the ears
part of the body. (superior)
● Anterior: Toward the front of the body. ● Depression: shoulder movement away from
● Posterior: Toward the back of the body. wars (inferior)
● Ipsilateral: On the same side of the body. ● Protraction: moving the shoulder blades away
● Contralateral: On the opposite side of the body. from spine
● Proximal: Closer to the attachment point (origin) ● Retraction: moving the shoulder blades towards
than another structure. the spine.
● Distal: Farther from the attachment point ● Pronation: moves the palm of the hand so its
(origin) than another structure. facing down.
● Midline: The plane dividing the body into equal ● Supination: moves the palm of the hand so its
right and left sides. facing up.
● Lateral: Away from the midline of the body (the ● Dorsiflexion: flexion at ankle (toes towards your
most outside part). nose)
● Medial: toward the vertical midline of the body ● Plantarflexion: extension at ankle (planting your
(closest to the middle). foot towards the floor)
● Superficial: Towards the surface or on it; ● Inversion: turning foot towards the midline (up
external. and in)
● Deep: Away from the surface; internal. ● Eversion: turning the foot away from midline
● Midline: An imaginary line that divides the body (down and out)
into right or left halves ● Proximal: closer to torso
● Flexion: Movement decreases the angle ● Distal: farther away from torso
between two body parts ● Ipsilateral: same side of body
● Extension: Movement increases the angel ● Contralateral: opposite side of body
between two body parts
● Abduction: movement away from midline
● Adduction movement towards the midline
● Internal(medial) rotation: rotating movement
towards the midline
Planes of the Body:
● Frontal (coronal): runs from side to side and
divides the body into anterior and posterior
portions.
● Median/Sagittal: Runs from front to back through
the midline and divides the body into right and
left halves.
Body Positions:
● Anatomical position: Person stands erect, face forward, arms at the sides with palms facing forward.
● Supine: Person lies down on back, face up.
● Prone: Person lies down on stomach, face down.
Directional Terms:
● Superior: Higher or above or toward the upper ● External (lateral) rotation: rotating movement
part of the body. away from midline
● Inferior: lower or below, or toward the lower ● Elevation: shoulder movement towards the ears
part of the body. (superior)
● Anterior: Toward the front of the body. ● Depression: shoulder movement away from
● Posterior: Toward the back of the body. wars (inferior)
● Ipsilateral: On the same side of the body. ● Protraction: moving the shoulder blades away
● Contralateral: On the opposite side of the body. from spine
● Proximal: Closer to the attachment point (origin) ● Retraction: moving the shoulder blades towards
than another structure. the spine.
● Distal: Farther from the attachment point ● Pronation: moves the palm of the hand so its
(origin) than another structure. facing down.
● Midline: The plane dividing the body into equal ● Supination: moves the palm of the hand so its
right and left sides. facing up.
● Lateral: Away from the midline of the body (the ● Dorsiflexion: flexion at ankle (toes towards your
most outside part). nose)
● Medial: toward the vertical midline of the body ● Plantarflexion: extension at ankle (planting your
(closest to the middle). foot towards the floor)
● Superficial: Towards the surface or on it; ● Inversion: turning foot towards the midline (up
external. and in)
● Deep: Away from the surface; internal. ● Eversion: turning the foot away from midline
● Midline: An imaginary line that divides the body (down and out)
into right or left halves ● Proximal: closer to torso
● Flexion: Movement decreases the angle ● Distal: farther away from torso
between two body parts ● Ipsilateral: same side of body
● Extension: Movement increases the angel ● Contralateral: opposite side of body
between two body parts
● Abduction: movement away from midline
● Adduction movement towards the midline
● Internal(medial) rotation: rotating movement
towards the midline
Planes of the Body:
● Frontal (coronal): runs from side to side and
divides the body into anterior and posterior
portions.
● Median/Sagittal: Runs from front to back through
the midline and divides the body into right and
left halves.
