Anatomical Terms for the Arm and Hand - Online Tutor, Practice Problems & Exam Prep

Understanding anatomical terms for the arm and hand is essential. Key terms include acromial (shoulder), axillary (armpit), antecubital (inside elbow), olecranal (back of elbow), carpal (wrist), manus (hand), digital (fingers), brachial (upper arm), antebrachial (forearm), and pollux (thumb). These terms derive from Greek and Latin roots, reflecting their historical significance. For instance, "ante" means before, indicating the position of antecubital relative to the elbow. Familiarity with these terms aids in grasping human anatomy and its applications in medical contexts.

The Arm and Hand

Onward now for terms for the hand and the arm. First up, we're going to do acromial. Acromial is your shoulder region, and in Greek, acros or acron is the highest point. So the highest point of your arm is your acromial region, your shoulder. Now I think it's interesting that the acropolis is the top of the hill in Athens, and that's where all those ancient ruins are.

In ancient Greece, the acropolis was the center of religious and political life. So today, we have acropolis, the top of the hill, Acromial, top of the arm, your shoulder. Next up, we did this in a previous video. Axillary, you swing an ax. You see your armpit, armpit axillary.

Next, we have antecubital. Antecubital is the inside of the elbow, the soft spot of the elbow here. And in Latin, anti means the front of something or before something. So when you're standing in anatomical position, ante before it's facing forward, and cubitum means elbow. You may have heard of the ancient measurement, length a cubit.

A cubit's from your elbow to the end of your arm. It's the same root. It's used in the Bible. Now the back of the arm, we said, was olecranon, and you may be saying, wait. Those words are completely different from each other.

You're right. Olecranon, the head of the elbow, comes from Greek. Antecubital, the front of the elbow, comes from Latin. Why anatomists couldn't just pick one language and make it easy? We'll never know, but we're all paying the consequences.

Alright. Next up, we have carpal. Carpal is the wrist. You may have heard of carpal tunnel syndrome. You have a passageway through your wrist that nerves go through called the carpal tunnel.

If that gets inflamed or the nerves going through it getting inflamed from, like, using a computer too much, can be really painful. It's called carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal is your wrist. Next, we have the manus. Manus is your hand.

Now manus and manual come from the same root. You do manual work with your hands. Manus, hand. Next, we have digital, and digital is going to be your fingers. Now you probably realize digits are also numbers.

Well, you count numbers on your fingers. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and that's why they're the same terms. Next up, we have brachial. I remember this one because I break my arm, and brachial is your upper arm. It's this part of your arm.

Hopefully, you don't break your arm, but it's a good memory tool. Next, we have antebrachial. Antebrachial, remember, anti means before something. So this is going to be your forearm. You have brachial and antebrachial, your upper arm and your forearm.

And then finally, we have pollex. Pollex is just the Latin for thumb. Now, I just remember that one because pollex kind of sounds like politics, and in politics, you might vote by giving something a thumbs up or a thumbs down. Alright. With that, I think we just learned 8 new terms.

We are on our way. I'll see you in the next video.

Anatomical Terms for the Arm and Hand Example 1

So now we're going to try and use those anatomical terms that we just learned to identify 4 new body structures. So let's jump right in. First off, we have the digital nerves. Give yourself a second to try and figure out what those might be. Alright.

Digital nerves. The keyword, of course, is digital. Digits are numbers. You count numbers on your fingers, so fingers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. So your digital region is your fingers.

Next, we have the acromial artery. Give yourself a second to try and figure out that one. Alright. Acromial artery, a blood vessel. Obviously, the keyword is acromial.

We said acromial comes from a Greek word that means the top of something. It's the top of your arm, your shoulder. So the acromial artery is going to be in your shoulder. Next, we have the axillary vein. Give yourself a second to try and figure out that one.

Alright, we said the axillary region I like to say when I swing an ax, you can see my axillary region, so my axillary vein is in my armpit. Axillary means armpit. And now finally, we have the lateral antebrachial nerve. Give yourself a second for that one. Alright.

Lateral antebrachial nerve. So lateral meant away from the midline, so it's going to be towards the outside of your body. What part of your body? The antebrachial region. So I remember I break my arm.

My arm is my brachial region. Anti means before, so it's my forearm. So the lateral antebrachial nerve is probably running down the outside of my forearm. So with that, we have learned 4 new body structures based on anatomical terms alone, and I'll see you in the next video.

When in anatomical position, the most lateral finger is the:

• A. Pollex
• B. Digital
• C. Metacarpal
• D. Carpal

Based on the anatomical terms, carpal tunnel syndrome is an injury of what area?

• A. Hand
• B. Elbow
• C. Wrist
• D. Shoulder

As a nurse, you've been asked to place an IV in the antecubital fossa. Where to you place the IV?

• A. Inside of the elbow
• B. Back of the hand
• C. Inside of the wrist
• D. The upper arm

Here’s what students ask on this topic:

What is the acromial region, and why is it significant in anatomy?

The acromial region refers to the shoulder area, specifically the highest point of the arm. The term 'acromial' is derived from the Greek word 'acros' or 'acron,' meaning the highest point. This region is significant in anatomy because it serves as a key landmark for identifying the shoulder joint and its associated structures. Understanding the acromial region is crucial for medical professionals when diagnosing shoulder injuries, administering injections, or performing surgeries. Additionally, the acromial region is involved in various movements and functions of the upper limb, making it essential for understanding human biomechanics.

What is the difference between antecubital and olecranal regions?

The antecubital region refers to the inside or front of the elbow, where the arm bends. The term 'antecubital' comes from Latin, with 'ante' meaning before and 'cubitum' meaning elbow. In contrast, the olecranal region refers to the back or point of the elbow. The term 'olecranal' is derived from Greek. These regions are important for different medical procedures: the antecubital area is commonly used for drawing blood or inserting IV lines, while the olecranal region is often examined for injuries or conditions affecting the elbow joint.

What is carpal tunnel syndrome, and how is it related to the carpal region?

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition characterized by pain, numbness, and tingling in the hand and arm. It occurs when the median nerve, which runs through the carpal tunnel in the wrist, becomes compressed or irritated. The carpal region refers to the wrist area, and the carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway within this region. Repetitive motions, such as typing or using a computer mouse, can lead to inflammation and pressure on the median nerve, resulting in carpal tunnel syndrome. Understanding the carpal region is essential for diagnosing and treating this condition effectively.

What are the anatomical terms for the upper arm and forearm?

The anatomical term for the upper arm is 'brachial,' derived from the Greek word 'brachion,' meaning arm. The brachial region extends from the shoulder to the elbow. The term for the forearm is 'antebrachial,' with 'ante' meaning before and 'brachial' referring to the arm. The antebrachial region extends from the elbow to the wrist. These terms are important for identifying specific areas of the arm in medical contexts, such as when describing the location of injuries, administering treatments, or understanding muscle and bone anatomy.

What is the significance of the term 'digital' in anatomy?

In anatomy, the term 'digital' refers to the fingers or digits of the hand. The word 'digital' is derived from the Latin word 'digitus,' meaning finger. This term is significant because it helps in identifying and describing the individual fingers, which are crucial for various functions such as grasping, manipulating objects, and performing fine motor tasks. Additionally, the term 'digital' is also used in a numerical context, as humans often count using their fingers. Understanding the digital region is essential for studying hand anatomy, diagnosing injuries, and performing surgical procedures involving the fingers.