Anatomical Position

Contents

1. Origin
2. The proper anatomical position
3. Quiz

Origin

When discussing structures in relation to each other, it becomes quite difficult to do so considering the fact that the body is very flexible and therefore, the location of structures in relation to one another varies greatly with the position of the body. (E.g. : when lying down, standing up, etc.) Consequently, in the early 19th century, a committee established by the anatomical society, defined the default position. The committee comprised of both medical and veterinary anatomists. After a lengthy debate about the position of the arms, they finally came into a conclusion about what we know now as ‘The Anatomical Position’.

The Proper Anatomical Position

If the time and place is appropriate, attempt replicating this as you read and understand for an optimal learning experience. My anatomy professor used to tell the entire class to stand up and demonstrate the anatomical position when the students were drowsy. She would walk around and check each person’s position, but very often, only one or two people in the entire class would get it 100% correct. There are some subtle details about the anatomical position which are often ignored. Though, be not afraid, this article will elaborate on each of them.

Foremost, you should be in a standing erect position. Arms hanging to the side, and you should be at rest.

The arms should be turned so that the palm is facing forward. (Supinated position – you will come across this terminology in upper limb anatomy) This is a rather awkward position and sparked a big debate amongst human anatomists and veterinary anatomists. This is only for the purpose of describing anatomical details.

The feet should be kept together (or slightly apart) and the toes should be facing forward

When describing the male body, there is another ‘appendage’ that should be considered. The penis, much like the rest of the body, is described in the ‘erect’ position. I should note that my anatomy professor did not scrutinize this detail when examining our anatomical position. You can also skip this step when practising the anatomical position, as attempting to get an erection might temporarily distract you from studies.