CRS HUMAN ANATOMY
The Language of Anatomy Handout
OBJECTIVES
1. Describe and demonstrate the anatomical position.
2. Identify the three planes/axes used in the study of anatomy.
a. Sagittal
b. Frontal or coronal
c. Transverse or horizontal
3. Use appropriate anatomical terms to identify body parts.
4. Describe the relationships of body parts using directional and regional terms.
5. Identify the movements occurring on planes/axes.
CONCEPTUAL MAP
Learning Scenario
You have a mole at the palm of your right hand that is seen in front and is therefore anterior in location.
When you turn your palm down, you no longer see the mole in front. Is the mole located posteriorly now?
Be ready to answer the question during the lecture. For the meantime, let us study the basics in anatomical language
first. Since anatomy deals with the study of structures, the description of parts is always based in reference to the
anatomical position. The directional terms and planes/axes are used to describe structures and their relationships.
Movements are described occurring in planes around their axes.
Watch and learn from these videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaYcQPPOobE (4:20 min)
Axis and plane in human body by Sunit Sanjay Ekka
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOVMsbqbL28 (5:13 min)
Planes Directions and Axis (Physical Therapy ABC's)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SNnCr0-9AQ (3:18 min)
The Planes of Motion by Ace fitness
Planes and Axes
Fitness Learning Systems (2013)
https://opentextbc.ca/anatomyandphysiology/chapter/1-6-anatomical-terminology/
Plane Description
Divides the body into anterior and
Coronal /
posterior parts. Abduction and Adduction
Frontal plane
movements occur in this plane.
Divides the body into left and right parts.
Sagittal plane Flexion and Extension movements occur
in this plane.
Divides the body into superior and
Transverse /
inferior halves (or upper and lower parts)
Horizontal
Rotational movements usually occur in
plane
this plane.
Fitness Learning Systems (2013)
Axis Description
Passes horizontally from
posterior to anterior. Movements
Sagittal axis occur in the frontal/coronal plane
around the sagittal axis.
Passes horizontally from left to
right. Movements occur in the
Frontal axis sagittal plane around the frontal
axis.
Passes vertically from inferior to
superior or longitudinally.
Longitudinal/ Movements occur in the
vertical axis transverse/horizontal plane
around the longitudinal/vertical
axis.
Fitness Learning Systems (2013)
An axis is a straight line perpendicular to the plane around which an object rotates. Movement at the joint takes place
in a plane around its axis. Remember:
1. Flexion/extension occurs in the sagittal plane around a frontal axis.
2. Abduction/adduction occurs in the frontal plane around a frontal axis.
3. Rotation such as pronation/supination and internal/external rotation occur in the transverse plane around a
vertical/longitudinal axis.
Test Yourself Part I
Choose the best answer.
1. Which plane divides the body into left and right parts?
A. Sagittal
B. Transverse or horizontal
C. Frontal or coronal
2. Which plane divides the body into superior and inferior parts?
A. Transverse or horizontal
B. Frontal or coronal
C. Sagittal
3. Which plane divides the body into anterior and posterior parts?
A. Frontal or coronal
B. Sagittal
C. Transverse or horizontal
4. Movements in the sagittal plane move around the____ axis.
A. vertical
B. frontal
C. transverse
5. Flexion/extension occurs in the ____ plane around the ____ axis.
A. Frontal, sagittal
B. Sagittal, frontal
C. Transverse, vertical
6. Abduction/adduction occurs in the ____ plane around the ____ axis.
A. Sagittal, frontal
B. Frontal, sagittal
C. Transverse, longitudinal
7. Internal/external rotation occurs in the ____ plane around the ____ axis.
A. Frontal, sagittal
B. Sagittal, transverse
C. Transverse, longitudinal
8. Which does not describe the anatomical position?
A. Palms face anteriorly
B. Thumbs are medially located
C. Standing upright
D. None of the above
9. Which statement/s is/are TRUE?
A. The plane is perpendicular to its axis.
B. The transverse axis is parallel to the ground.
C. The sagittal plane is where flexion/extension occurs.
D. All of the above
10. Jumping jacks are movements occurring in the ____plane around the ____axis
A. Sagittal, frontal
B. Frontal, sagittal
C. None of the above
Study the terms used to identify the different structures in the body. Learning the anatomical position and using the
right terms to describe structures are important in the study of anatomy.
https://opentextbc.ca/anatomyandphysiology/chapter/1-6-anatomical-terminology/
https://opentextbc.ca/anatomyandphysiology/chapter/1-6-anatomical-terminology/
https://opentextbc.ca/anatomyandphysiology/chapter/1-6-anatomical-terminology/
Test Yourself Part II
Choose “A” if the statement is TRUE. Choose “B” if the statement is FALSE.
1. The carpal area is proximal to the pollex (pollicis, thumb).
2. The patella is seen posteriorly.
3. The popliteal area is seen anteriorly.
4. The olecranon is proximal to the carpal area.
5. The umbilicus is caudal to the pubis.
6. The peroneal area is on the lateral aspect of the leg.
7. The hallux is distal to the tarsal area.
8. The right pedal (foot) is lateral to the right coxal (hip).
9. The structures found in the midline include the nose, mouth, chin, and acromion.
10. The axillary is lateral to the mammary (breast) area.
11. The brachial area is proximal to the antebrachial area.
12. The antecubital area is proximal to the antebrachial area.
13. The sternum is located laterally.
14. The patellar area is anterior to the popliteal area.
15. The right and left scapula are located medial to the vertebra.
Test Yourself Part III
Study the coronal section of the ear. Identify the following
structures and its locations.
1. Tragus
2. External acoustic meatus
3. Tympanic membrane
4. Malleus, incus, stapes (3 tiny bones in the middle ear
collectively called ossicles)
5. Semicircular canals
6. Cochlea
Choose the best answer.
1. The tympanic membrane is
A. superior to the ossicles (malleus, incus, and stapes).
B. medial to the cochlea.
C. lateral to the parotid gland.
D. inferior to the ossicles (malleus, incus, and stapes).
2. The tragus is
A. inferior to the ossicles.
B. medial to the cochlea.
C. lateral to the tympanic membrane.
D. superior to the semicircular canals.
3. Which structure is the most superficial?
A. Cochlea
B. Tragus
C. Semicircular canals
D. External auditory meatus
4. This illustration is a coronal section of the
Dugani, Agur, Alfonsi, & Dalley (2017). A. right ear.
B. left ear.
Arrows indicate passage of air. Rizzo (2016)
5. Based on the illustration above, the most proximal structure
along the airway passage is the
A. pharynx.
B. nose. The swallowing sequence in the esophagus. Rizzo (2016)
C. trachea.
D. larynx.
6. Which structure is proximal to the larynx? 8. Study the passage of food bolus as illustrated in A, B, and C.
A. Trachea Which statement is TRUE?
B. Esophagus A. The food bolus is distal to the epiglottis when it tips down to close the windpipe
C. Epiglottis (trachea).
B. The food bolus is posterior to the trachea when it passes through the esophagus.
7. The esophagus is ___ to the larynx and trachea.
C. The food bolus passes through the trachea and is anterior to the esophagus.
A. posterior
B. anterior
C. superior
D. medial
9. Study the structures in the oral cavity presented in
the illustration on the left.
10. Structure/s in the midline include the following,
EXCEPT
A. frenulum
B. uvula
C. palatine tonsils
D. frenulum and uvula
10. The tongue is pointing to the
A. left.
B. right.
C. midline.
Anaromy of the oral cavity, Dugani, Agur, Alfonsi, & Dalley (2017).
References:
Acefitness. (2016, December 7). The planes of motion[Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SNnCr0-9AQ
BC Open Textbooks (nd). Chapter 1. an introduction to the human body. Anatomical Terminology by Rice University.
Retrieved from https://opentextbc.ca/anatomyandphysiology/chapter/1-6-anatomical-terminology/
Dugani, S., Alfonsi, J., Agur, A., & Dalley, A. (2017). Oral cavity and oropharynx. Clinical Anatomy Cases: An
integrated approach with physical examination and medical imaging (p. 292). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters
Kluwer.
Dugani, S., Alfonsi, J., Agur, A., & Dalley, A. (2017). Ear. Clinical Anatomy Cases: An integrated
approach with physical examination and medical imaging (p. 288). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.
Ekka, S. (2018, February 5). Axis and plane in human body[Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaYcQPPOobE
Fitness Learning Systems (2013). Planes and axes. Retrieved from
http://vlb.fitnesslearningsystems.com/minicourses/kinesiology_mini/axis02.htm
Physical Therapy ABC's. (2016, June 26). Planes, directions and axis[Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOVMsbqbL28
Rizzo, D. (2016). Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology (4th ed., p. 384). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
