Chapter 1 – Key Terms

abdominopelvic cavity division of the anterior (ventral) cavity that houses the abdominal and pelvic viscera

abduction movement in the coronal plane that moves a limb laterally away from the body; spreading of the fingers

adduction movement in the coronal plane that moves a limb medially toward or across the midline of the body; bringing fingers together

anatomical position standard reference position used for describing locations and directions on the human body

anterior describes the front or direction toward the front of the body; also referred to as ventral

anterior cavity larger body cavity located anterior to the posterior (dorsal) body cavity; includes the serous membrane-lined pleural cavities for the lungs, pericardial cavity for the heart, and peritoneal cavity for the abdominal and pelvic organs; also referred to as ventral cavity

caudal describes a position below or lower than another part of the body proper; near or toward the tail (in humans, the coccyx, or lowest part of the spinal column); also referred to as inferior

circumduction circular motion of the arm, thigh, hand, thumb, or finger that is produced by the sequential combination of flexion, abduction, extension, and adduction

cranial describes a position above or higher than another part of the body proper; also referred to as superior

cranial cavity division of the posterior (dorsal) cavity that houses the brain

deep describes a position farther from the surface of the body

depression downward (inferior) motion of the scapula or mandible

distal describes a position farther from the point of attachment or the trunk of the body

dorsal describes the back or direction toward the back of the body; also referred to as posterior

dorsal cavity posterior body cavity that houses the brain and spinal cord; also referred to the posterior body cavity

dorsiflexion movement at the ankle that brings the top of the foot toward the anterior leg

downward rotation movement of the scapula during upper limb adduction in which the glenoid cavity of the scapula moves in a downward direction as the medial end of the scapular spine moves in an upward direction

elevation upward (superior) motion of the scapula or mandible

eversion foot movement involving the intertarsal joints of the foot in which the bottom of the foot is turned laterally, away from the midline

extension movement in the sagittal plane that increases the angle of a joint (straightens the joint); motion involving posterior bending of the vertebral column or returning to the upright position from a flexed position

flexion movement in the sagittal plane that decreases the angle of a joint (bends the joint); motion involving anterior bending of the vertebral column

frontal plane two-dimensional, vertical plane that divides the body or organ into anterior and posterior portions

hyperextension excessive extension of joint, beyond the normal range of movement

hyperflexion excessive flexion of joint, beyond the normal range of movement

inferior describes a position below or lower than another part of the body proper; near or toward the tail (in humans, the coccyx, or lowest part of the spinal column); also referred to as caudal

inversion foot movement involving the intertarsal joints of the foot in which the bottom of the foot is turned toward the midline

lateral describes the side or direction toward the side of the body

lateral flexion bending of the neck or body toward the right or left side

lateral (external) rotation movement of the arm at the shoulder joint or the thigh at the hip joint that moves the anterior surface of the limb away from the midline of the body

medial describes the middle or direction toward the middle of the body

medial (internal) rotation movement of the arm at the shoulder joint or the thigh at the hip joint that brings the anterior surface of the limb toward the midline of the body

opposition thumb movement that brings the tip of the thumb in contact with the tip of a finger

plane imaginary two-dimensional surface that passes through the body

plantar flexion foot movement at the ankle in which the heel is lifted off of the ground

posterior describes the back or direction toward the back of the body; also referred to as dorsal

posterior cavity posterior body cavity that houses the brain and spinal cord; also referred to as dorsal cavity

pronated position forearm position in which the palm faces backward

pronation forearm motion that moves the palm of the hand from the palm forward to the palm backward position

prone face down

protraction anterior motion of the scapula or mandible

proximal describes a position nearer to the point of attachment or the trunk of the body

reposition movement of the thumb from opposition back to the anatomical position (next to index finger)

retraction posterior motion of the scapula or mandible

rotation movement of a bone around a central axis (atlantoaxial joint) or around its long axis (proximal radioulnar joint; shoulder or hip joint); twisting of the vertebral column resulting from the summation of small motions between adjacent vertebrae

sagittal plane two-dimensional, vertical plane that divides the body or organ into right and left sides

section in anatomy, a single flat surface of a three-dimensional structure that has been cut through

spinal cavity division of the dorsal cavity that houses the spinal cord; also referred to as vertebral cavity

superficial describes a position nearer to the surface of the body

superior describes a position above or higher than another part of the body proper; also referred to as cranial

supinated position forearm position in which the palm faces anteriorly (anatomical position)

supination forearm motion that moves the palm of the hand from the palm backward to the palm forward position

supine face up

thoracic cavity division of the anterior (ventral) cavity that houses the heart, lungs, esophagus, and trachea

transverse plane two-dimensional, horizontal plane that divides the body or organ into superior and inferior portions

upward rotation movement of the scapula during upper limb abduction in which the glenoid cavity of the scapula moves in an upward direction as the medial end of the scapular spine moves in a downward direction

ventral describes the front or direction toward the front of the body; also referred to as anterior

ventral cavity larger body cavity located anterior to the posterior (dorsal) body cavity; includes the serous membrane-lined pleural cavities for the lungs, pericardial cavity for the heart, and peritoneal cavity for the abdominal and pelvic organs; also referred to as anterior body cavity