O’Bryant H.S.
ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY LAB
This lab involves PALPATION (touching, pressing, feeling) of your own or another person’s body. Pick a partner with whom you feel comfortable touching each other (politely and respectfully).
Warning: don’t do anything that causes pain, especially if you have a sore or injury anywhere.
HEAD AND NECK REGIONS:
Palpate the following features on your own or your partner’s body. Compare with a mounted skeleton.
Hair Eyebrows External ear (pinna) External auditory meatus
Frontal bone, including brow ridges (deep to eyebrows)
Nasal bone above and around nose. Right and left nasal bones meet to form the bridge of your nose.
Parietal bone Occipital bone
Orbit (eye socket)-- feel along its margins, and compare to the mounted skeleton
Zygomatic bone-- begin on lower rim of orbit and follow bony part posteriorly
Zygomatic arch (at widest part of skull)
Temporal bone (easiest to find at posterior end of zygomatic arch)
Mastoid process (bony bump behind external ear)
Temporalis muscle-- place fingers on side of head a few centimeters superior to zygomatic arch,
then bite down hard a few times
Masseter muscle-- place fingers about a centimeter below zygomatic arch and bite down hard
Incisive bone (premaxilla)-- just below nose, containing upper incisor teeth
Maxilla-- upper jaw bone, containing the other upper teeth
Mandible-- lower jaw, containing lower teeth
Angle of mandible-- follow inferior margin posteriorly to its angular end
Ramus of the mandible-- the ascending portion, superior to the angle
Temporo-mandibular joint-- follow the ramus as far as possible superiorly as you move your jaw.
Platysma-- tighten and relax the front of your neck; feel the broad, sheet-like muscle here
Atlanto-occipital joint: practice nodding “yes” and compare movements with a skeleton
Atlanto-axial joint: practice shaking “no” and compare movements with a skeleton
“Adam’s apple” (arch of the cricoid cartilage) on the front of your neck
Hyoid cartilage: follow the cricoid cartilage posteriorly on either side, then feel for another arch,
the hyoid arch, superior to the cricoid
TRUNK OF BODY:
On the front and sides of your own body, palpate the ribs. You should be able to feel that the lowest ribs are “free” and do not attach to anything at their ventral ends, and that the ribs just above them attach to the next higher (superior) ribs. (If you can’t feel your ribs, you are probably overweight.)
Next, palpate the sternum (breastbone) down to the xiphoid cartilage at the inferior end.
At the superior end of the sternum, palpate the manubrium and its connections to the clavicles.
Along the dorsal surface, try to feel the spinous processes of the vertebrae, and the spaces between them. This is likely to be easier on a partner than on your own body.
Your umbilicus, or “belly-button,” is an important landmark. Look for it when you shower or bathe.
CONTINUED ON THE REVERSE SIDE
SHOULDER
GIRDLE AND UPPER LIMB:
Scapula: find the scapular spine on your partner. Trace it forward to the acromion. Try to trace the margins of the scapula.
Clavicle: trace and feel the shape of this bone from end to end
Humerus: the main bone in your arm. Feel its upper (proximal) end as you move it around. Explore the range of movement at the shoulder joint.
Biceps brachii muscle: feel this on the flexor (anterior) surface as you flex and extend your elbow.
Triceps brachii muscle: Raise your arm straight up, then feel this muscle on the extensor surface as you try to hyperextend your elbow. Alternatively, hold your forearm horizontally in front of your chest, and have your partner prevent you from moving it forward; now feel your triceps muscle as you try to push your arm forward against your partner’s resistance.
Olecranon process-- the hard part of the elbow
Lateral and medial epicondyles-- on the humerus, to either side of the olectranon process.
Cubital fossa-- the depression on the flexor (anterior) surface of your elbow
Ulna-- trace it distally from the olecranon process. Try rotating the hand while keeping the ulna steady.
At the distal end, feel the lateral malleolus.
Radius-- find it first on the thumb side of your forearm, then trace it back up to the elbow as you rotate the hand back and forth. At the distal end, feel the medial malleolus.
Carpals-- you will not be able to feel them individually.
Metacarpals-- feel and count them on the palm of your hand.
Phalanges-- Count them on each finger (phalangeal formula 2.3.3.3.3, meaning 2 phalanges for the thumb and 3 phalanges for each of the remaining fingers).
PELVIC GIRDLE
AND LOWER LIMB:
Ilium: Place your hands on your hips and feel your iliac crests, which also hold up your belt, if you are wearing a belt. The angular front end of this crest is the anterior superior iliac spine.
Gluteus maximus muscle: this is the large, round muscle making up your buttocks. It helps you stand upright and also helps you walk forward. Bend forward at the hips, and this muscle helps straighten you up. In most mammals, however, it is located more laterally, and it abducts the leg to lift it sideways (you often see male dogs do this).
Ischium: in a seated position, feel under your gluteus maximus to find the lowest bony structure bearing your weight. This is your ischial tuberosity.
Pubis: While standing up, press along your midline, several inches below your umbilicus, until you find something hard. This is your pubic symphysis, where the two halves of your pelvic girdle come together. The padded, raised area covering the bone is the mons pubis (“pubic mound”).
Femur: Bend forward at the hips, and feel on your side for the pivot point. This is the greater trochanter of the femur, a place for muscle attachments. At the distal end of the femur, feel the lateral and medial epicondyles to either side of the knee joint.
Quadriceps femoris: the large extensor muscles on the anterior side of your thigh.
Hamstring muscles: the large flexor muscles on the posterior side of your thigh.
Adductor muscles: the large muscles on the inside (medial) surface of your thigh.
Patella, or kneecap, covering the front of your knee.
Tibia, the larger bone in your lower leg. Feel the tibial (cnemial) crest along its anterior surface. At its lower (distal) end, feel that the medial malleolus does not move when you flex your foot.
Fibula, the smaller and more lateral bone in your lower leg. Feel the lateral malleolus at its distal end.
Calcaneus, or heelbone. Take off your shoe to feel it, or wait until you’re home.
Other tarsal bones cannot be distinguished individually by palpation.
Metatarsals make up the greatest part of your foot, including the arch.
Phalanges (toe bones): Phalangeal formula, as in the hand, is 2.3.3.3.3.