Medical Terms; Direction of Movement, Position, and Anatomical Posture

Flexion

Bending, or moving, jointed parts closer together

Efferent

Conducting away from a structure

Adduction

Movement toward the midline of the body

Dorsal

Pertaining to the back surface of the body

Lateral Rotation

Rotating outward away from the bodys midline

Internal

Situated inside

External

Situated outside

Deep

Situated remote from the surface

Extension

Stretching, or moving, jointed parts into or toward a straight condition

Laterad

Toward the side of the body

peripheral

away from a central structure

Dorsiflexion

bending backwards

Circumduction

circular movement of a part

palmar

concerning the inner surface of the hand

plantar

concerning the sole of the foot

Afferent

conducting toward a structure

retraction

drawing back, such as happens with the tongue

Anterior

front surface of the body

Anterior to

in front of

pronation

lying face downward or turning the hand so the palm faces downward or backward

supination

lying face upward or turning the hand so the palm faces forward or upward

left lateral recumbent

lying horizontal on the left side

right lateral recumbent

lying horizontal on the right side

prone

lying horizontal, facedown, and flat

supine

lying horizontal, flat on the back, and faceup

recumbent

lying horizontal, generally speaking

Abduction

movement away from the body's midline

posterior

pertaining to the back surface of the body

protraction

pushing forward, such as happens with the mandible

Elevation

raising a body part

medial rotation

rotating inward toward the body's midline

superior

situated above

Lateral

situated away from the body's midline

Distal

situated away from the point of origin

posterior to

situated behind

Inferior

situated below

superficial

situated near the surface

proximal

situated nearest the point of origin

medial

situated toward the body's midline

ventral

the front surface of the body

Craniad

toward the cranium

Cephald

toward the head

mediad

toward the midline of the body

Caudad

toward the tail

rotation

turning around an axis