Name: body positions used in anatomy
Uploaded: 2023-06-23T15:38:43.000Z
Duration: 1 min 11 s
Channel: JoVE

K12 Standards

ohios-learning-standards-and-model-curriculum

Ohio’s Learning Standards and Model Curriculum

9-12

Human Anatomy and Physiology

Levels Of Organization

Anatomical Terminology

Anatomical Positions

Anatomical positions describe how the human body can be oriented during an examination or surgical procedure.
The standard reference position is when a person stands upright, facing the observer. The shoulders are wide, and the upper limbs are on either side. The legs are parallel, and the feet are flat on the ground. The toes and palms face forward.
This position sets the anatomic directions.
In the supine or face-up position, the anterior side of a person is exposed and allows for routine examination. The supine position has several modified versions, including the Fowler&#39;s, the Trendelenburg, and the lithotomy positions.
The prone or face-down position exposes the dorsal side.
In the right and left recumbent or decubitus positions, the person lies on their side, carrying the weight on their shoulder and hip.
In contrast, in the dorsal recumbent position, a person lies on their back and flexes their knees with their feet flat on the surface.

anatomical positions

In anatomy, several standard anatomical positions are used as references for describing the position and orientation of different body parts. These positions help provide a common frame of reference when discussing anatomical structures. The anatomical position is the standard reference point for describing the body&#39;s position and orientation. In this position:
The body is upright, facing forward, and standing erect.
The feet are parallel and flat on the floor.
The arms are hanging by the sides, with the palms facing forward.
The head and eyes are directed forward.
The most common reclining positions are the supine (face-up) and prone (face-down) positions. They get modified to several positions depending on the organs or side of the body under examination.
Supine position
The supine position is one of the most natural, stable, and safest positions on the surgical table. It allows anatomical structures to remain in natural neutral alignment, providing access to the anterior of the body. Patients in supine position can maintain adequate respiratory functions.
Under shock, hypotension, or pelvic surgery, the Trendelenburg position, a modification of the supine position that holds the person&#39;s back inclined fifteen to forty degrees with feet above the head, enables greater access to lower organs for a shorter duration. During childbirth, vaginal examinations, and pelvic surgeries, the supine position is modified to the lithotomy position with legs flexed and elevated using stirrups.
Prone position
In the prone position, the individual lies flat on their abdomen with their face and palms facing downward. Prone positioning has many benefits, as unlike the supine position, lung compression is minimal, resulting in higher oxygen levels. Additionally, the prone position redistributes blood and airflow more evenly, improving heart pumping when there is an imbalance between blood and airflow in conditions such as acute respiratory distress syndrome or ARDS. That means one requires less ventilator support, and constriction of the blood vessels of the lung decreases.
This text is adapted from <a href="https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e/pages/">Openstax, Anatomy and Physiology 2e, Section 1.6: </a>Anatomical terminology.

In anatomy, several standard anatomical positions are used as references for describing the position and orientation of different body parts. These ...

Education

JoVE Core

Anatomy and Physiology

Unit 1

Introduction to the Human Body

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

body positions used in anatomy

Body positions used in anatomy give a shared way to describe where body parts are and how they face. These standard references help people talk about anatomical structures with the same meaning. The anatomical position is the main reference point for body orientation.

In anatomical position, the body stands upright and faces forward. The feet are parallel and flat on the floor. The arms rest at the sides with the palms facing forward, and the head and eyes point forward.

The most common reclining positions are supine and prone. Supine means lying face up. Prone means lying face down, with the face and palms directed downward.

The supine position is one of the most natural, stable, and safest positions on the surgical table. It keeps anatomical structures in a natural neutral alignment and gives access to the front, or anterior, of the body. People in supine position can also maintain adequate breathing.

In some cases, the supine position is modified. The Trendelenburg position tilts the back about fifteen to forty degrees with the feet above the head. It is used for shock, hypotension, or pelvic surgery and helps provide greater access to lower organs for a short time. Another modification is the lithotomy position, which uses flexed legs raised in stirrups during childbirth, vaginal examinations, and pelvic surgeries.

The prone position has different benefits. Because the person lies on the abdomen, lung compression is minimal and oxygen levels can be higher than in supine position. Prone positioning can also spread blood and airflow more evenly, which may improve heart pumping in conditions such as acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS. In these cases, it may reduce the need for ventilator support and lessen constriction of blood vessels in the lung.

Body Positions Used in Anatomy

overview of anatomy and physiology

How Anatomy and Physiology Work Together

Human anatomy studies the structures of the body. Some body structures are so small that they can only be seen and examined with a microscope. Others are large enough to be viewed, handled, measured, and weighed. The word anatomy comes from a Greek root meaning “to cut apart.” Early study of the human body began with observing the outside of the body and the injuries seen in soldiers and other patients. Later, physicians were allowed to dissect dead bodies to learn more. Dissection means...

structural organization of the human body: an overview

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negative and positive feedback

Feedback Loops in Body Balance

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anatomical terminology

Anatomical Terms and Body Position

Anatomical terms help describe the human body clearly in biology and medicine. Health care professionals and anatomists use this standard language to avoid confusion and to make descriptions more precise. Most anatomical words come from Greek and Latin roots, and these roots usually stay the same because the languages are rarely used in everyday conversation. Many anatomical words are built from a root plus a prefix or suffix. The root often names an organ, tissue, or condition. The prefix or...

Body positions used in anatomy give a shared way to describe where body parts are and how they face. These standard references help people talk about anatomical structures with the same meaning. The anatomical position is the main reference point for body orientation. In anatomical position, the body stands upright and faces forward. The feet are parallel and flat on the floor. The arms rest at the sides with the palms facing forward, and the head and eyes point forward. The most common...

regional terms

Anatomy Regions and Body Landmark Terms

Anatomy regions and body landmark terms help identify specific parts of the human body. These regional terms divide the body into areas with structures that support similar functions. They also make it easier to describe the exact area affected by an injury or disease. The human body is organized into two major regions: the axial region and the appendicular region. The axial region includes the body from the head to the abdomen and forms the central body axis. The appendicular region includes...

directional terms

Anatomical Direction and Body Position

Anatomical direction and body position terms help describe where one body structure is located in relation to another. These terms use comparisons, such as one tissue being inferior to another or a tumor being superficial to a deeper structure. They are based on the standard anatomical reference position, which uses the body in an upright pose. Anterior and posterior are a common pair of directional terms. Anterior, also called ventral, means toward the front of the body. Posterior, also...

body planes

Anatomy Sections and Body Planes

Anatomy sections and body planes are imaginary flat surfaces used to divide the body for study. They help show the orientation, relationships, and spatial layout of anatomical structures. These reference planes are also useful for describing organs and body parts in a standard way. The sagittal plane divides the body or an organ vertically into right and left sides. When that cut goes through the middle and makes equal halves, it is called the midsagittal or median plane. When it makes unequal...

anatomical movements

Body Joint Motion Terms

Body joint motion terms describe how bones and muscles move at different joints. These standard names make it easier to talk about range of motion in the body. They are used to describe actions at the shoulder, hip, elbow, knee, wrist, fingers, toes, and spine. Flexion and extension are movements in the sagittal plane, also called the anterior-posterior plane. Flexion is the forward bending motion of the head or vertebral column. Extension is the backward movement or straightening of a joint,...

abdominal regions and quadrants

Abdominal Pain and Organ Location

The abdominal cavity is divided into quadrants and regions to help locate organs and describe pain clearly. Clinicians and anatomists use imaginary lines to mark the abdominopelvic cavity. This system makes it easier to communicate about a patient’s symptoms or a suspicious mass. The simpler method divides the area into four quadrants. One horizontal line and one vertical line cross at the umbilicus, or navel. These quadrants are the right upper quadrant, right lower quadrant, left upper...

key terms and concepts

Learn how anatomical position, supine, prone, Trendelenburg, and lithotomy positions are used to describe the body and support medical care.

Body Positions Used in Anatomy | JoVE K12

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Body Positions Used in Anatomy

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