Study the directional terms below and the example of how each is used. It implies a position or direction away from the body proper. Superior rotation is also used without arm abduction when carrying a heavy load with your hand or on your shoulder. In the front, the trunk is referred to as the "thorax" and "abdomen". What anatomical term means toward the lower part of a body structure? TERM. Inversion is the turning of the foot to angle the bottom of the foot toward the midline, while eversion turns the bottom of the foot away from the midline. Movement types are generally paired, with one being the opposite of the other. Toward the lower part of the body. Abduction moves the limb laterally away from the midline of the body, while adduction is the opposing movement that brings the limb toward the body or across the midline. Away from the head end or toward the lower part of a structure or the body BELOW The navel is inferior to the breastbone: Term . At a pivot joint, one bone rotates in relation to another bone. Caudad: Toward the feet (or tail in embryology), as opposed to cranial. He or she holds a “higher” position than you do. Term. These are mostly used with animal anatomy, but can be used in human anatomy as long as they are describing the side of an appendage. Figure 5. (See Figure 5.). Uniaxial joint; allows rotational movement, Atlantoaxial joint (C1–C2 vertebrae articulation); proximal radioulnar joint, Uniaxial joint; allows flexion/extension movements, Knee; elbow; ankle; interphalangeal joints of fingers and toes, Biaxial joint; allows flexion/extension, abduction/adduction, and circumduction movements, Metacarpophalangeal (knuckle) joints of fingers; radiocarpal joint of wrist; metatarsophalangeal joints for toes, First carpometacarpal joint of the thumb; sternoclavicular joint, Multiaxial joint; allows inversion and eversion of foot, or flexion, extension, and lateral flexion of the vertebral column, Intertarsal joints of foot; superior-inferior articular process articulations between vertebrae, Multiaxial joint; allows flexion/extension, abduction/adduction, circumduction, and medial/lateral rotation movements, Define the different types of body movements, Identify the joints that allow for these motions. This is a very important motion that contributes to upper limb abduction. A directional term meaning toward the top of an animal when it is standing on all four legs; toward the backbone. For example, superior means toward the upper part of the body, and inferior means toward the lower part of the body. Medial and lateral rotation of the upper limb at the shoulder or lower limb at the hip involves turning the anterior surface of the limb toward the midline of the body (medial or internal rotation) or away from the midline (lateral or external rotation). Depression and elevation are downward and upward movements of the scapula or mandible. Each movement at a synovial joint results from the contraction or relaxation of the muscles that are attached to the bones on either side of the articulation. Flexion and extension movements are seen at the hinge, condyloid, saddle, and ball-and-socket joints of the limbs (see Figure 1). Dorsal means the back side or upper side, while ventral means the frontal or lower side. Which term means toward the lower part of the body? distal. It is important to understand that directional terms have relative meanings, they make sense only when used to describe the position of one structure relative to another. Without superior rotation of the scapula, the greater tubercle of the humerus would hit the acromion of the scapula, thus preventing any abduction of the arm above shoulder height. Supination is the opposite motion, in which rotation of the radius returns the bones to their parallel positions and moves the palm to the anterior facing (supinated) position. The term dorsal has a similar meaning as posterior. Synovial joints allow the body a tremendous range of movements. Similarly, elevation of the mandible is the upward movement of the lower jaw used to close the mouth or bite on something, and depression is the downward movement that produces opening of the mouth (see Figure 6). ANTERIOR (VENTRAL) Definition. Knee flexion is the bending of the knee to bring the foot toward the posterior thigh, and extension is the straightening of the knee. Lateral flexion is the bending of the neck or body toward the right or left side. lateral. Rotation can also occur at the ball-and-socket joints of the shoulder and hip. The abdominal area is the region between the chest and the pelvis. Etymology: from Modern Latin caudalis, from Latin cauda, "tail of an animal"; caud, "tail" or "lower part of the body" + -al, "referring to, pertaining to". Medial rotation: This movement is turning a body part around its long axis, with the anterior surface moving toward the midline, like when you turn your whole lower extremity so that your foot points inward. The big toe is medial to the little toe. As you read the examples, look at Figure above to see the location of each structure. Lack of development of an organ or tissue. Here, the humerus and femur rotate around their long axis, which moves the anterior surface of the arm or thigh either toward or away from the midline of the body. These include anterior-posterior movements of the arm at the shoulder, the forearm at the elbow, the hand at the wrist, and the fingers at the metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joints. Using this standard position reduces confusion. These motions take place at the first carpometacarpal joint. Inferior (or caudal) means just the opposite: “away from the head,” or “lower… The back as a general area is the dorsum or dorsal area, and the lower back is the lumbus or lumbar region.The shoulder blades are the scapular area and the breastbone is the sternal region. Abduction, adduction, and circumduction. This type of motion is found at biaxial condyloid and saddle joints, and at multiaxial ball-and-sockets joints (see Figure 2). (a) Supination of the forearm turns the hand to the palm forward position in which the radius and ulna are parallel, while forearm pronation turns the hand to the palm backward position in which the radius crosses over the ulna to form an “X.” (b) Dorsiflexion of the foot at the ankle joint moves the top of the foot toward the leg, while plantar flexion lifts the heel and points the toes. Anterior is the anatomical term for indicating that an organ or structure is towards the front of the body.   This may seem like a minor detail. Thumb opposition is produced by a combination of flexion and abduction of the thumb at this joint. above. (c)–(d) Anterior bending of the head or vertebral column is flexion, while any posterior-going movement is extension. proximal. Flexion and extension. Just as maps are normally oriented with north at the top, the standard body “map,” or anatomical position, is that of the body standing upright, with the feet at shoulder width and parallel, toes forward. It helps to remember that supination is the motion you use when scooping up soup with a spoon (see Figure 4). Caudal: Pertaining to, situated in, or toward the tail or the hind part. In the lower limb, bringing the thigh forward and upward is flexion at the hip joint, while any posterior-going motion of the thigh is extension. Toward or at the backside of the body (behind) the heart is posterior to the breastbone: Term. nearer to the point of attachment or to a given. posterior (dorsal) toward the back of the body. For example, at the atlantoaxial joint, the first cervical (C1) vertebra (atlas) rotates around the dens, the upward projection from the second cervical (C2) vertebra (axis). close to the center of the body . 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