By Elizabeth A. Murray, Mount St. Joseph University
Gross anatomy refers to the structures that one can see with the naked or unaided eye. Therefore, it does not study the cells and other microscopic components of human anatomy; instead, it focuses on bones, muscles, and nerves. It also includes the physiology of movement to better understand the relationships of structure and function, such as at the joints of the body.
The Standard Anatomical Position
Standing facing forward, with our feet slightly apart, and our palms facing front, that’s pretty much the definition of standard anatomical position. And like other standards, the beauty of this is that it universally fixes the body in space, to provide a common frame of reference, regardless of the various positions we can get ourselves into.
The importance of the palms facing forward was decided somewhere long ago in the study of anatomy. In this position, the two bones of the forearm—the radius and ulna—are parallel from elbow to wrist. When we turn our palms to face backward, the radius crosses over the ulna like an ‘X’. One can feel this if they put their hand around their opposite forearm and rotate that palm—a movement which happens at the elbow, not at the wrist.
The standard anatomical position allows us to apply directional terms that never change, whether we are standing up, lying down, or even standing on our heads. This position becomes a reference point that is universal, making terminology used while studying gross anatomy more precise.
Gross Anatomy Versus Systemic Anatomy
One of the thing that makes gross anatomy different from typical anatomy and physiology courses is that gross anatomy uses a regional approach. Generally, anatomy and physiology study systems: the skeletal system, nervous system, digestive system, reproductive system, and so forth.
But gross anatomy examines a particular region of the body—such as the back, thigh, abdomen, hand—and as it does, it integrates the bones, muscles, nerves, blood vessels, and other structures or organs in that given body region. Thus, in this sense, gross anatomy is far more integrative as compared to systemic anatomy, in which body systems are covered but not usually combined as a whole within a region.
With that said, ultimately, gross anatomy requires the regions studied to be put together for a full understanding of the body relationships. This includes the interactions between regions and the overall pathways of structures that travel from one region to another—like blood vessel or nerve pathways. But the regions are studied first.
This article comes directly from content in the video series How We Move: The Gross Anatomy of Motion. Watch it now, on Wondrium.
Understanding the Connections Between Body Regions
When one talks about a blood vessel in a given area, it is studied regionally, like pieces of a puzzle. One may not fully understand the connections between body regions until those areas are bridged together later on in the course of the study.
In other words, studying the upper limb and studying the chest requires to ultimately connect the two—particularly when structures, like nerves and vessels, span those regions. In so doing, one often sees name changes as the structures pass a given anatomical landmark, or after they give off a particular branch, somewhat like street names may change when traveling from one part of town to another.
And as with any field of study, one does need to learn specific terminology. In fact, learning anatomical terminology is quite literally learning more about ourselves. It, in combination with other medical terminology, makes us more informed patients, caregivers, workout partners, and sports enthusiasts. This is true whether one is an armchair quarterback listening to the announcer talking about an injured player or an active participant in softball, golf, dance, bowling, or yoga.
Learning Anatomical Terminology
While anatomical terminology does require some memorization, that doesn’t mean the subject is automatically boring. For example, one can ask students to stand on lab benches and do pose-downs, while other students describe what actions are happening at what joints, and what muscles are being used. They could also be asked to label muscles and bony landmarks on photos of body builders and dancers. And they dissect human and non-human organs to better understand the anatomy. Looking at photos of body builders and dancers—and looking at our own body, too—makes what one learns more meaningful to them, and is actually fun.
Another tool one can specifically use in a musculoskeletal anatomy course, is palpation—to examine by touch. The students can be asked to sit or lay on the lab benches and use their hands to find certain ‘not too personal’ bones and muscles on each other. Most could potentially be going into healthcare fields and will need to learn to do that kind of hands-on work with their patients, anyway. In some cases, one can palpate these structures on their own, depending on its location.
Thus, to conclude, encouraging students to use their own body or that of a partner to explore is a better way to understand the musculoskeletal anatomy we study. Compared to looking at pictures, it’s so much more realistic to actually feel body features, and really appreciate that the structures we’re learning about are all inside us. Clearly, musculoskeletal anatomy is best studied in action!
Common Questions about Studying Gross Anatomy
Standing facing forward, with our feet slightly apart, and our palms facing front, that’s pretty much the definition of standard anatomical position.
The standard anatomical position allows us to apply directional terms that never change, whether we are standing up, lying down, or even standing on our heads. This position becomes a reference point that is universal, making terminology used while studying gross anatomy more precise.
Generally, anatomy and physiology study systems: the skeletal system, nervous system, digestive system, reproductive system, and so forth. But gross anatomy examines a particular region of the body—such as the back, thigh, abdomen, hand—and as it does, it integrates the bones, muscles, nerves, blood vessels, and other structures or organs in that given body region.
