Terminology

Question 1

Describe the anatomical position.

Answer 1

Feet together, palms up, thumbs out.
The patient always has their feet nearest to you.

Question 2

What are the three body planes?

Answer 2

Sagittal - left and right.
Coronal - anterior and posterior.
Transverse - superior and inferior.

Question 3

Define rostral.
Define caudal.

Answer 3

Towards the head.
Towards the tail.

Question 4

Define ipsilateral.
Define contralateral.

Answer 4

Same side of the body.
Opposite sides of the body.

Question 5

Define parietal.
Define visceral.

Answer 5

Relates to a body cavity wall.
Relates to organs in body cavities.

Question 6

Define prone.
Define supine.

Answer 6

Lying on the stomach.
Lying on the back.

Question 7

Define superficial.
Define internal.

Answer 7

Nearer to the surface.
Further from the surface.

Question 8

Define medial.
Define lateral.

Answer 8

Towards the midline.
Away from the midline.

Question 9

Define proximal.
Define distal.

Answer 9

Closer to the origin.
Further from the origin.

Question 10

What does the upper limb consist of?
What does the lower limb consist of?

Answer 10

Shoulder, arm and forearm.
Gluteal region, thigh and leg.

Question 11

What are the cavities of the body?

Answer 11

Dorsal - cranial and spinal.
Ventral - thoracic, abdominal and pelvic.

Question 12

Define flexion.
Define extension.

Answer 12

Decreases the angle between body parts.
Increases the angle between body parts.

Question 13

Define abduction.
Define adduction.

Answer 13

Movement away from the midline.
Movement towards the midline.

Question 14

Define circumduction.

Answer 14

A combination of flexion, extension, abduction and adduction.
The appendage describes a cone.

Question 15

Define elevation.
Define depression.

Answer 15

Superior movement of the shoulder.
Inferior movement of the shoulder.

Question 16

Define protraction.
Define retraction.

Answer 16

Forward movement of the shoulder.
Backward movement of the shoulder.

Question 17

Define pronation.
Define supination.

Answer 17

The radius rotates over the ulna.
The radius and ulna are parallel.

Question 18

Define opposition.
Define reposition.

Answer 18

The thumb touches the pinky.
The thumb moves away from the pinky.

Question 19

Define dorsiflexion.
Define plantarflexion.

Answer 19

Superior extension of the foot.
Inferior flexion of the foot.

Question 20

Define inversion.
Define eversion.

Answer 20

The sole faces medially.
The sole faces laterally.

Question 21

Define unilateral.
Define bilateral.

Answer 21

One side of the body.
Both sides of the body.

Question 22

Define axial.
Define intermediate.

Answer 22

Around a central axis.
Between two structures.

Question 23

Define trunk.
Define median.

Answer 23

The body minus the limbs.
The midline of a structure.

Question 24

What are the names of the different surfaces of the hands and feet?

Answer 24

Dorsal - dorsum.
Palmar - palm / sole.

Question 25

What is the function of the anatomical position?

Answer 25

A consistent way of describing relative positions of appendages to their standardised position.