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Memorandum
To:
From:
Date:
Subject:

Professor Karen Thompson

Alexander Rodriguez
5/25/2015
Project 2: Technical Definition/Description

The following is in response to your request for a technical definition and description
on a subject of our
Choosing. I selected anatomic position as the topic for this project.

Audience
The information that is presented in this report is structured to inform the
general public about a basic anatomy term, anatomical position. It is
intended to educate those who dont have an understanding in anatomy or
little understanding in the subject, also it shows the basics of anatomy if
readers are interested in future studies.

Problem/Purpose Addressed
The purpose is to educate readers in an effort to inform that their own bodies
have more of a range of basic sayings than just front, bottom, up, down,
etc. Also it is to inform that the position of reference for anatomical is
nomenclature. The problem involving the general audience and others is that
this terminology is a great importance in the medical field and if none know
of what this term refers to it can result to accidental consequences when
performing on the body.

Placement
As the intended purpose of this document is to show the technical definition
first in the beginning of the paper followed by the technical description
second. The definition will be divided into three sections that go further into
detail about anatomical position.

Choice of Visuals
The visuals inserted into the document are placed to help give the readers a
better understanding and picture in their head over anatomical position. The
visuals will give go off of the technical description to help show positions in
the right way.

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What is Anatomical Position?

Anatomical position is defined as the reference position on which certain
standardized anatomical terminology is based. It is when a subject, such as a
human, is standing with the feet flat on the floor, arms down to the sides,
and the palms and eyes directed forward.

Why is Anatomical Position important?

Anatomical position is critical in terms of anatomy because the relations of
all structures are described as presumed to be in anatomical position.
Without such a frame of reference, if anatomical position was not a term
saying structures like the sternum, thymus, or aorta is above the heart
would be vague, since it would depend on wheat her the subject was
standing, lying face down, or lying face up. By that anatomical position is of
huge importance when terms such as anterior, posterior, medial, lateral,
abduction, and adduction are applied to the body when in said position.

How Anatomical Position is used throughout the

medical field
In fields outside of anatomy such as nursing, physical therapy, and forensic
psychiatry the term anatomical position helps those in the subject or
profession to help identify to themselves, associates, or patients what
position is which when performing their job. By this I mean say when a
surgeon is operating on a patient who needs a hip replacement or has been
shot in the leg, anatomical position is used as a reference to the center of
the body when other appendages or body parts are needed to be worked on.
In other words it is a universal position known by all doctors of the body and
helps them with ease in navigating the body when needed.

How Anatomical position can confuse

Many who are interested in the anatomy field whether it be part of their
major to be required to take a class or those who actually want to learn it
often confuse themselves when it comes to this term. As it stated earlier in
this memo, anatomical position refers to when the body is standing with
feet flat on the floor upright, palms facing up, and arms down by the side of
your body. Many often confuse this with a body laying down on its backside
and everything such as the feet, palms, head, and eyes facing upwards
towards the ceiling. Others think that either the body can be laying down or
standing upright with the hands faced down or arms held out. All of those

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examples are sadly wrong and cant be in anywhere right since being in
anatomical position is so important in the anatomy field or in any medical
field involving the body.

View of
Anatomical
Positon

Face and eyes

The information
given in the technical
Arms and
definistion can give
palms
anyone a image in
their head to what
Anatomical Position is
but how about an
actual image to see
what it is? On the
right of the page,
there is a picture of
what anatomical
positoin looks like.
Notice how the body
Feet (standing
is standing upright
straight up and how
with its feet on the
they are facing
floor, arms to the
side, palms held up,
and both the eyes
and head facing forward. There is both a front and back view or in anatomy
terms the anterior view (left) and the posterior view (right)