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
