DEFINITION

Anatomical position is the standard position which is used as the point of reference to describe the specific alignment of the body positions. The Anatomical positions are determined by the anatomical planes and axes. In anatomical position, the body is erect with the head and torso upright. The arms are at the sides of the body with the shoulders in neutral rotation, elbows extended, the cubital fossae of the elbow and the palms face forward, the fingers are extended, and the thumbs are adducted with the pad of each thumb facing forward. The lower extremities are straight and parallel, with the feet close to each other and toes facing straight forward. From the human Anatomical position, three planes and three axes can be used to describe the position, alignment and motion of the body.

ANATOMICAL PLANES

The Anatomical planes are the imaginary reference points that divide the body into various sections. The three Anatomical planes of the body are sagittal plane, coronal plane and the transverse plane.

• Sagittal Plane: It is a vertical plane that travels down the middle of the body that divides the human body into right and left portions
• Coronal Plane: It runs vertically through the sides of the body dividing it into the front (Anterior) surface and the back (Posterior) surface of the body
• Transverse Plane: It is also called axial plane that runs horizontally, separating the body into two halves as top portion (superior) part and the bottom portion (Inferior) part of the body

ANATOMICAL AXES 

There are three (3) Anatomical axes around which the human body parts rotate, they are as follows

• Frontal Axis: This line runs from the left to right through the center of the body. For eg. When a person performs somersault (a movement in which you roll right over with the feet going over the head) they rotate around the frontal axis
• Sagittal Axis: This is also called as Antero-posterior axis, this line runs from front to back through the center of the body, For eg., when a person performs cartwheel (a fast, circular movement like a wheel turning, in which you throw sideways with one hand, then onto both the hands with the legs and arms straight and the legs pointing upwards) they are rotating about the sagittal axis
• Vertical Axis: This line runs from the top to bottom through the center of the body. For eg., when a skater performs the spin they are rotating around the vertical axis.

The common Anatomical positions of the body that indicates the main directions for the body are described as follows

• SUPERIOR: It denotes the higher part or position i.e. above towards the head
• INFERIOR: It refers to the lower part or position i.e. below towards the feet
• ANTERIOR: It refers to the front side of the body
• POSTERIOR: It is towards the back side of the body
• MEDIAL: It is the position towards the midline of the body
• LATERAL: It is the position away from the midline of the body
• PROXIMAL: Proximal means Proximity that refers to the position nearer to the center i.e to the trunk or to the part attachment to body
• DISTAL: Distal means distance that refers to the position away or far from the center i.e to the trunk or to the part of attachment to body
• PALMAR: It refers to the palm side of the hand
• DORSAL: This refers to the top side of the foot or back side of the hand
• PLANTAR: It refers to sole or down side of the foot
• RIGHT: This refers to the right side of the individual body being studied
• LEFT: This refers to the left side of the individual body being studied.