Anatomy and Physiology Directional Terms?
I need to learn the directional terms for my Anatomy and Physiology class. By directional vocabulary I mean anterior, posterior, distal, proximal, medial, superior, inferior, and the others I can't remember. What is an easy way for me to know the meaning because the book explains it weird and I don't understand how exactly they are what they are. Like the wrist is proximal to the elbow was one and near the description they gave it makes no sense so please help!
Answers:
anterior: front
posterior: put a bet on
dismal: distant
proximal: near part
medial: middle
superior: high
inferior: low
You better swot up basic Latin.
The number one rule about these lingo is that they are RELATIVE. For instance, "superior" generally means closer to the head, but can be used contained by relation to an unrelated part... the knee is "superior to" or higher than the ankle.
1) Posterior also funds "butt". This should remind you that it refers to the back of your body.
2) Anterior rhymes with posterior and is opposite of it - within front. You would say anterior to or posterior to
3) Distal sounds like distant and refers to something further away from the torso. So the wrist would be distal to (on the far end from the torso) the elbow.
4) Proximal sounds similar to proximity (closeness). It is opposite of distal and refers to something closer to the torso.
5) Medial sounds like middle and refers to something closer to the middle, or centerline of the body.
6) Lateral is opposite of medial and refers to something on the outer side of the body. The inner thigh is medial, while the outer thigh or hip is lateral.
7) Superior scheme high or upper. It refers to something closer towards the head.
8) Inferior means low and rhymes next to superior. It is its opposite and refers to something closer to the feet.
Very nice answer Stephanie. I only wanted to add that many of medical jargon including the directional terms are of latin in origin, simply as many of the words we use in the english language.
There can be some confusing ones, such as the prefix "sup" can refer to superior or above, but after it can also refer to movement as well, where it is opposite. For example supination funds to take the hand and turn it over putting the bottom part of your foot (palm) up, and pronation means putting the top of your hand up. At any rate it can get totally confusing, and one useful resource that I found was the Anatomy Coloring Book. I know it sounds a little silly, but it is not a children's coloring book by far. It in fact has a very nice section on directional language which gives explainations and some devices to help you remember and most importantly it encompasses both optical and kinesthetic learning styles into the process, which helps you to better retain and learn the info. Many school are making this a required text in first year gross anatomy classes. You can pick it up at Barnes and Nobles or any other large book store, college book store, or online.
check it out...here you can in actual fact view some of the pages to get an theory for how it looks and works:
http://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Coloring-B…
Oh and as for how to use them, well let us just clutch the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL, that so many atheletes tear), this would refer to the cruciate ligament that crosses in the front) and in it's oppisite at hand is the posterior cruciate ligment (PCL, not as commonly torn) and this refers to the ligament that crosses on the back side of the knee.
A subdural hematoma, would mean that near is a bleed (hematoma) below (sub) the lining of the brain (dura). Whereas an epidural hematoma would refer to a bleed (hematoma) above (epi) the lining of the brain (dura). Source(s): Toxicologist
All right lts see if this helps,
ante- means since or infront of like in antecedent
post- means after or at the back like post scriptum (p.s. in a letter)
dist- means far resembling distance
porxy- means close like proximity
med- means in/near the middel close to medium
sup- means on top like self superior
infer- means lower like being inferior
If your wrist is proximal to your elbow, that must hurt. These terms are derived from the Latin, and they own equivalents in other words with which you're more familiar. Anterior comes from ante, formerly; and posterior post, after, just as in telling time a.m. is beforehand noon and p.m.after noon. So the tip of your nose is anterior to your obverse. The wrist is distant from, or distal to, the elbow, using the center of the body as a reference point. Medial should remind you of middle, and and proximal is close, as approximate may be close enough. I don't imagine you enjoy any trouble with superior being higher and inferior lower. If you check the etymology of the words, they'll start off to make sense.
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Answers:
anterior: front
posterior: put a bet on
dismal: distant
proximal: near part
medial: middle
superior: high
inferior: low
You better swot up basic Latin.
The number one rule about these lingo is that they are RELATIVE. For instance, "superior" generally means closer to the head, but can be used contained by relation to an unrelated part... the knee is "superior to" or higher than the ankle.
1) Posterior also funds "butt". This should remind you that it refers to the back of your body.
2) Anterior rhymes with posterior and is opposite of it - within front. You would say anterior to or posterior to
3) Distal sounds like distant and refers to something further away from the torso. So the wrist would be distal to (on the far end from the torso) the elbow.
4) Proximal sounds similar to proximity (closeness). It is opposite of distal and refers to something closer to the torso.
5) Medial sounds like middle and refers to something closer to the middle, or centerline of the body.
6) Lateral is opposite of medial and refers to something on the outer side of the body. The inner thigh is medial, while the outer thigh or hip is lateral.
7) Superior scheme high or upper. It refers to something closer towards the head.
8) Inferior means low and rhymes next to superior. It is its opposite and refers to something closer to the feet.
Very nice answer Stephanie. I only wanted to add that many of medical jargon including the directional terms are of latin in origin, simply as many of the words we use in the english language.
There can be some confusing ones, such as the prefix "sup" can refer to superior or above, but after it can also refer to movement as well, where it is opposite. For example supination funds to take the hand and turn it over putting the bottom part of your foot (palm) up, and pronation means putting the top of your hand up. At any rate it can get totally confusing, and one useful resource that I found was the Anatomy Coloring Book. I know it sounds a little silly, but it is not a children's coloring book by far. It in fact has a very nice section on directional language which gives explainations and some devices to help you remember and most importantly it encompasses both optical and kinesthetic learning styles into the process, which helps you to better retain and learn the info. Many school are making this a required text in first year gross anatomy classes. You can pick it up at Barnes and Nobles or any other large book store, college book store, or online.
check it out...here you can in actual fact view some of the pages to get an theory for how it looks and works:
http://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Coloring-B…
Oh and as for how to use them, well let us just clutch the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL, that so many atheletes tear), this would refer to the cruciate ligament that crosses in the front) and in it's oppisite at hand is the posterior cruciate ligment (PCL, not as commonly torn) and this refers to the ligament that crosses on the back side of the knee.
A subdural hematoma, would mean that near is a bleed (hematoma) below (sub) the lining of the brain (dura). Whereas an epidural hematoma would refer to a bleed (hematoma) above (epi) the lining of the brain (dura). Source(s): Toxicologist
All right lts see if this helps,
ante- means since or infront of like in antecedent
post- means after or at the back like post scriptum (p.s. in a letter)
dist- means far resembling distance
porxy- means close like proximity
med- means in/near the middel close to medium
sup- means on top like self superior
infer- means lower like being inferior
If your wrist is proximal to your elbow, that must hurt. These terms are derived from the Latin, and they own equivalents in other words with which you're more familiar. Anterior comes from ante, formerly; and posterior post, after, just as in telling time a.m. is beforehand noon and p.m.after noon. So the tip of your nose is anterior to your obverse. The wrist is distant from, or distal to, the elbow, using the center of the body as a reference point. Medial should remind you of middle, and and proximal is close, as approximate may be close enough. I don't imagine you enjoy any trouble with superior being higher and inferior lower. If you check the etymology of the words, they'll start off to make sense.
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