Day after day, year after year, our bodies support and move us in incalculable ways. With seemingly little conscious effort on our part, our bodies allow us to walk, run, sit, stand—to move throughout the world. And yet our bodies are also prone to devastating injuries and they are susceptible to the degeneration that can accompany aging and disease. This complex system of bones, muscles, tendons, and other vital parts is deeply fascinating and incredibly varied from person to person. Having a deeper understanding of the structure and abilities of the body can give you insight into an intriguing subject of medical study. It also provides you with a guide for caring for your well-being and for dealing with potential issues of health and mobility.
In How We Move: The Gross Anatomy of Motion, you’ll look inside the human body as never before, discovering your gross anatomy, the parts of the body that can be seen with the unaided eye—your macroscopic body. In this course, you will view graphics, photos, videos, and the digital autopsy table called “Anatomage,” to help your understanding of the topics covered. Professor Elizabeth A. Murray, of Mount St. Joseph University, will take you on a journey through the major regions of the body in all their complex grandeur. It’s safe to say that you’ve never seen anything like it! In 24 fascinating lectures, Dr. Murray shares her passion for the form and function of the human body—a passion that becomes contagious. As with any field of study, anatomy has his own specific terminology. With a basic overview of the roots of anatomical terms and some directional terms to get you started, Dr. Murray will take you through many of the bones, muscles, and nerves of the human body, one region at a time. This isn’t about memorization—not only is that not necessary, but as she explains the logic behind the names, the vocabulary will begin to flow naturally and become easier to understand. As you’ll learn in How We Move: The Gross Anatomy of Motion, human anatomy has a tremendous amount of variability. In fact, for any given anatomical feature, it’s estimated that only 70% of individuals have the by-the-book pattern or structure. This doesn’t mean 30% of humans are “abnormal”—rather, it means that wide variation in human anatomy is completely normal. As you develop a deeper understanding of your own body, through this course, you’ll be better equipped throughout your life to avoid injury and take good care of its amazing and marvelous anatomy.
