Introduction to Anatomy

Anatomy, a field in the biological sciences concerned with the identification and description of the body structures of living things. Anatomy is the study of the physical structure and parts of organisms. Human anatomy includes the cells, tissues, and organs that make up the body and how they are organized in the body.

Knowledge of anatomical structure of the body is basic to understanding musculoskeletal function and how both structure and function are modified by exercise or disease. Ironically, at a time when knowledge of anatomy is increasingly important, exercise physiologists are facing a major crisis in anatomical education.