anatomical position

The anatomical position is a standardized way of describing the human body to avoid confusion. In this position, a person stands upright, facing forward, with arms at the sides and palms facing forward. The legs are straight and feet are parallel, pointing forward. This orientation serves as a reference point for identifying locations and movements of different body parts. For example, when we say a structure is "above" another, we refer to their positions based on the anatomical position, making it easier to communicate effectively in medical and anatomical contexts.