Introduction to Primal Pictures Real Time Functional Anatomy
Primal Pictures Real Time Functional Anatomy is an exciting new, web-based resource that we are happy to offer to our patrons. Primal Pictures offers a suite of software products giving learners an interactive, three-dimensional view of human anatomy and physiology. They offer products focusing on Gross Anatomy, Anatomy & Physiology, Clinical & Imaging, Functional Anatomy, and Embryology. The Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library recently licensed access to the Functional Anatomy module.
The Functional Anatomy module is a set of kinesiology resources designed to highlight anatomical movement and whole-body function. It contains more than 120 interactive three-dimensional models that show how those structures behave when performing functional movements. When you enter the Functional Anatomy module, you will begin by selecting a region of the body and then selecting what aspect of that region you would like to study (including Gross Anatomy, Functional Movement, or Goniometry, which is the measurement of joint angles to assess range of motion). Next, you select the type of movement you would like to see and then click play to see the bones, muscles, and ligaments move.
For example, you can select ‘leg’ and ‘functional movement’. On the subsequent screen, you can select ‘flexion/extension of the hip’ and with the controller on the bottom of the screen, you can see a repeating animation showing how the bones, ligaments, and muscles of the hip and leg respond during that movement. Another example would be to look at the ‘goniometry’ module for the same region and observe how the bones, ligaments, and muscles respond at different angles during flexion of the hip.
For assistance with this product or any others offered by the Himmelfarb Library, please contact us (himmelfarb@gwu.edu / 202-994-2962) to talk with a library staff member.
