3.2 Anatomical Position
Anatomical position is the standard, agreed-upon starting point used to describe the human body’s structure, movement, and location of body parts.
How to Perform Anatomical Position
- Stand upright, tall, and facing forward
- Feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart
- Arms relaxed at your sides
- Palms facing forward
- Fingers extended, thumbs pointing away from the body
- Head and eyes facing straight ahead
Why Use Anatomical Position?
Anatomical position creates consistency so that everyone (e.g., students, health professionals, trainers, researchers, etc.) is speaking the same language when describing parts of the body relative to one another. Without this universal frame of reference, descriptions like “left,” “right,” “in front of,” or “behind” could be confusing. This is especially true if someone is lying down, facing away, or moving around.
Imagine giving someone directions: You always assume north is “up” on the map, even if you’re facing a different direction. Anatomical position works the same way! No matter how someone is standing, lying, or moving, descriptions like “anterior” or “posterior” always refer to the body in this position.
“Anatomical Position” Image: OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT. [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat. Prompt: Create a generic simplified image of the human body that is a faceless mannequin and represents a neutral anatomical model.
