Assignment in Anatomy (Anatomical Positions and Directional Terms) Anatomical Positions

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. Anatomic terms such as anterior and posterior, medial and lateral, abduction and adduction, and so on apply to the body when it is in the anatomical position. Rostral: Toward the front Caudal: Toward the back, toward the tail

A standard position of the body: standing erect, facing directly forward, feet pointed forward and slightly apart, and arms hanging down at the sides with palms facing forward. This position is used as a reference to describe sites or motions of various parts of the body.

Anatomical Directional Terms.

Anterior: 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 Inferior: Below, under Lateral: Toward the side, away from the mid-line Medial: Toward the mid-line, middle, away from the side