ANATOMY FOR NUTRITION AND

DIETETICS
BY
ENYE, LINUS ANDERSON

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 Introduction to Anatomy
• Human anatomy is the science
concerned with the study of the
structure and function of the human
body.
• The term anatomy was derived from a
Greek word meaning “to cut up”.
• The anatomy of every structure of the
body is adapted for performing a function,
or perhaps several functions.
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 Disciplines in anatomy
– Macroscopic/Gross/Topographic
– Microscopic/Histology
– Developmental/Embryology
– Neuroanatomy/Brain and Nervous
system

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APPROACHES TO STUDYING
ANATOMY

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• Anatomy can be studied in 3 main
ways viz;
a) Regional/Topographic approach:
By studying the body in regions while
dealing with the structures related to
the body parts within the region under
study E.g. Upper & Lower Extremities,
Thorax & Abdomen, Pelvic &
Perineum, Head & Neck, Back e.t.c
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b) Systemic Approach:
Here each system of the body is studied
and followed throughout the entire
body E.g. if the Cardiovascular system
is to be studied, the heart, entire blood
vessels will be studied.
Skeletal system/Osteology
Articular system/joint
Reproductive system e.t.c
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c) Clinical Approach:
 Here emphasis is placed on the aspect of
anatomy that are important in the practice
of medicine, dentistry and other allied
health sciences.
 However, each of these approaches has its
own merits and demerits. The regional
works well if it is followed by dissection,
but falls short when it comes to
understanding the continuity of an entire
system of the body.
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The fourth approach which is often not
mentioned is the SURFACE
ANATOMY- which is studying the
anatomy of a living body at rest and in
action.
• The aim of this is to visualize
structures that lies beneath the skin and
are palpable.
E.g. palpation of arterial pulse, heart
beat, some muscular movements e.t.c.
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ANATOMICAL TERMINOLOGY

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• Anatomy and medicine have an
internationally recognized vocabulary.
• These terms are expressed in Latin or
Greek.
• This is to avoid ambiguity and allow
smooth communication amongst health
care professionals worldwide as well
as amongst scholars in basic and
applied health sciences.
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• Nevertheless health and applied health
workers must know the common name
these structures are called so that they
can understand their patients complain
and know how to explain to them.

• Although these terms seems difficult at

the beginning, however, as you learn
the origin of most of these terms it
begins to make sense.
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 ANATOMICAL POSITION
• It is the standard references position of
the body used to describe the location of
structures.
• Defined as a situation when a person is
standing upright, feet together (toes
pointing forward), hands by the side
(palms of hand forward), and face
looking forward. The mouth is closed
and facial expression is neutral.
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• This position is adopted worldwide to
give anatomicomedical descriptions.
• Supine position- when lying in
anatomical position but facing upward
• Prone position- when lying in
anatomical position but facing
downward.

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 ANATOMICAL PLANES
Descriptions in anatomy are based on
four imaginary planes that passes
through the body.
(1)Median plane- vertical plane passing
longitudinally through the body in its
anatomical position dividing the body
into two equal halves i.e left and right
(2)Sagittal plane- vertical plane passing
parallel to the median plane.
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(3) Coronal plane-vertical plane passing
through the body at right angle to the
median plane, thus dividing the body
into anterior and posterior (Front &
Back)
(4) Transverse plane- Horizontal plane
passing through the body at right angle
to the median and coronal plane, thus
dividing the body into superior and
inferior (upper & lower parts)
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 TERMS OF RELATIONSHIPS
• Various adjectives, arranged as pairs of
opposites, describe the relationship of
parts of the body in the anatomical
position and compare the relative
position of two structures with each
other.
• Superficial, intermediate and deep; are
terms used in dissections to describe the
position of one structure, such as a
muscle, with respect to other structures
such as skin and bone.
• Medial; is a term used to indicate that (in the
anatomical position) a structure, is near or
nearer to the median plane of the body. E.g.
the 5th digit of the hand (L. manus), or little
finger.
• Lateral; stipulates that the structure is farther
away from the median plane. E.g. the thumb is
farther away from the median plane.
• Note: that medial and lateral are not
synonymous with external and internal as
they are used to connote the distance to an
organ.
• Posterior; denotes the back surface of the
body or nearer to the back. Dorsal is used
interchangeably too but mostly by
embryologist and neouroanatomist.
• Anterior; Anterior denotes the front surface of
the body and ventral is equivalent to anterior.
Ventral is used mostly by neuroanatomist.
• Inferior; Refers to a structure that is situated
nearer the soles of the feet. Caudal pertains to
the tail (L. caudal) and is a useful directional
term when referring to the tail region or the
trunk. Used by embryologist.
• Superior; Refers to a structure that is
nearer the vertex, the topmost point of the
skull.
• Cranial relates to the cranium (skull) and
is a useful directional term when referring
to the head region.
• Used mostly by embryologist.
TERMS OF MOVEMENTS

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• Various terms describe movements of the limbs and
other parts of the body.

• Movements take place at joints where two or more

bones or cartilages articulate with one another.

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• Joint movements are broadly classified as
angular and circular.
• Each of these categories includes specific
types of movements, and certain special
movements may involve several of the
specific types.
• The description of joint movements are in
reference to anatomical position.

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 Angular Movements
• Angular movements increases or decreases the joint’s angle
produced by the articulating bones.
• The four types of angular movements are flexion, extension,
abduction, and adduction.

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 FLEXION

• Flexion indicates bending or decreasing the angle

between the bones or parts of the body.
• Flexion of the upper limb at the elbow joint is an
anterior bending; flexion of the lower limb at the knee
joint is a posterior bending.

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• Dorsiflexion; Describes flexion at the ankle joint, as
occurs when walking uphill or lifting the toes off the
ground.
• Plantarflexion; Turns the foot or toes toward the
plantar surface (e.g., when standing on your toes).

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 EXTENSION
• Extension indicates straightening or
increasing the angle between the bones
or parts of the body.
• Extension usually occurs in a posterior
direction, but extension of the lower
limb at the knee joint is in an anterior
direction.
• It returns the body part back to its
anatomical position.
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• In an extended joint, the angle between
the articulating bones is 180°.
• An exception is the ankle joint, in which
there is a 90° angle between the foot and
leg in anatomical position.
• Examples of extension are straightening
of the elbow or knee joints from flexion
positions.
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• Hyperextension; occurs when a part of the
body is extended beyond the anatomical
position so that the joint angle is greater than
180°.
• This can cause injury, such as "whiplash"
(e.g.,hyperextension of the neck during a rear
car end automobile collision;
• An important exception applies at the ankle
joint; when your foot is extended, it is
plantarflexed (e.g., when standing on your
toes). 31
 Flexion

Extension

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Dorsiflexion

Plantarflexion

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 ABDUCTION

• Means moving away from the median plane in the coronal

plane (e.g., when moving an upper limb away from the side of
the body).

• In abduction of the digits (fingers or toes), the term means

spreading them apart-moving the other fingers away from the
3rd or middle finger, or moving the other toes away from the
2nd toe.

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 ADDUCTION

• Means moving toward the median plane in a coronal plane

(e.g., when moving an upper limb toward the side of the body).

• In adduction of the digits, the term means moving them

toward the median plane of the hand-moving the other fingers
toward the 3rd digit (middle finger).

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 Abduction

Adduction

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 Circular Movements
• In joints that permit circular movement, a bone with a
rounded or oval surface articulates with a corresponding
depression on another bone.
• The two basic types of circular movements are rotation and
circumduction.

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 ROTATION

• Involves turning or revolving a part of the body around its

longitudinal axis, such as turning one's head to the side.
• Medial rotation brings the anterior surface of a limb closer to
the median plane,
• Whereas lateral rotation takes the anterior surface away from
the median plane.

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 CIRCUMDUCTION
– Is a circular movement that is a combination
of flexion, extension, abduction, and
adduction occurring in such a way that the
distal end of the part moves in a circle.
– Circumduction can occur at any joint at
which all the above mentioned movements
are possible (e.g., the hip joint shoulder,
wrist, metacarpophalangeal, ankle, and
metatarsophalangeal joints).

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 Special Movements
• Because the terms used to describe generalized movements
around axes do not apply to movement at certain joints or
areas of the body, other terms must be used.

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 INVERSION and EVERSION
• Inversion moves the sole of the foot toward the
median plane (facing the sole medially). When
the foot is fully inverted it is also
plantarflexed.
• Eversion moves the sole of the foot away from
the median plane (turning the sole laterally).
When the foot is fully everted it is also
dorsiflexed.
• Both inversion and eversion are clinical terms
that are usually used to describe
developmental abnormalities. 43
Eversion

Inversion
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 OPPOSITION

• Is the movement by which the pad of the 1st digit

(thumb) is brought to another digit pad.
• We use this movement to pinch, button a shirt, and
lift a teacup by the handle.
• Reposition describes the movement of the 1st digit
away from the position of opposition back to its
anatomical position.

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 PROTUSION

• Is a movement anteriorly (forward) as occurs in protruding the mandible

(sticking the chin out).
• Retrusion is a movement posteriorly (backward) as occurs in retruding
the mandible (tucking the chin in).
• The similar terms protraction and retraction are used most commonly
for anterior and posterior movements of the shoulder.

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 Protusion

Retrusion

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 ELEVATION

• Elevation raises or moves a part of the body superiorly,

as in elevating the shoulders when shrugging.

• Depression lowers or moves a part inferiorly, as in

depressing the shoulders when standing at ease.

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Elevation

Depression

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 PRONATION
 Is the movement of the forearm and hand
that rotates the radius medially so that the
palm of the hand faces posteriorly and its
dorsum faces anteriorly,

 When the elbow joint is flexed, pronation

moves the hand so that the palm faces
inferiorly (e.g., placing the palms flat on a
table).
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 SUPINATION

• Is the movement of the forearm and hand that rotates

the radius laterally so that the dorsum of the hand faces
posteriorly and the palm faces anteriorly (i.e., moving
them into the anatomical position).

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MANY THANKS

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