Numbering Parts Of The Body

[Henry1865]

Frail memory from 70 years ago tells me that parts of the body are numbered from the heart outwards. So if if you lost a finger 'above the second joint', which joint is that? Does that mean that just the fingertip has gone, or most of it?

[nicebloke1]

I would think so.

[nicebloke1]

Hang on you have a knuckle joint so....

[nicebloke1]

Oh god, I dont know ask Douglas.

[nicebloke1]

The joint above your knuckle IS the second joint.  You have 3 joints in total.

[Tilly2]

I would be interested to see the list of numbered body parts. I suspect it's a long list.

[Henry1865]

I'm unsure about the knuckle, so my question was about fingers only.

[Peter Pedant]

er it is here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interphalangeal_joints_of_the_hand

proximal and distal

knuckle is metacarpo-phalangeal joint

The names are agreed by conference - and go around as nomina anatomica ( say it quickly, nomina-tomina)

they went frooa Latin phase - articulatio coxae for 'hip' now it is mixed. inner and outer ( 1930s ) is medial and lateral - referred ot the body axis. 

blimey who wants to do the history of nomina tomina? I think I wd rather watch coronation st

[alyxowl]

I didn't even know body parts were numbered

[Henry1865]

I did say 'frail' alyxowl, and this one goes back to c.1956.

[Peter Pedant]

teeth are numbered but I use the old 4 x 8 system ( names)