Directional terms and planes of the body

The body is erect with the feet slightly apart, palms facing out, and thumbs sticking out and away from the body

• Medial

• Anatomical Position

• Sagittal Plane

• Posterior

Toward or at the front of the body

• Posterior

• Distal

• Lateral

• Anterior

Away from the body surface; more internal

• Proximal

• Superficial

• Deep

• Frontal

Runs horizontally from right to left splinting the the body

• Transverse Plane

• Inferior

• Sagittal Plane

• Distal

Closer to the origin of the body part or the point of attachment of the limb to the body

• Anatomical plane

• Medial

• Proximal

• Distal

Toward the body surface

• Frontal Plane

• Superior

• Anterior

• Superficial

Toward the back of the body

• Inferior

• Transverse plane

• Posterior

• Deep

Away from the head or toward the lower part of the body

• Medial

• Inferior

• Proximal

• Superficial

Farther from the origin of a body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body

• Distal

• Lateral

• Anterior

• Deep

Divides the body into front and back

• Posterior

• Sagittal Plane

• Superficial

• Frontal Plane