many students often find themselves in trouble with First year Anatomy Mnemonics during MBBS. Indeed they work hard compared to their upcoming semesters, but still they find it difficult to handle the stress. They move towards making short notes and mnemonics and waste a lot of time.
Here, we have made some mnemonics for those students looking for Anatomy Mnemonics, including Upper Limb, Lower Limb, Thorax and Head & Neck. Just save the page or bookmark us so you don’t spend your crucial time before exams making mnemonics.
Anatomy Mnemonics
Below are the anatomy mnemonics you will ever need. They are mixture of Upper limb, Lower limb, Thorax and Head & Neck. If you have any other, please do mention them in the comments section below, we will love to update them with your help!
Deep Muscles of the Back
“I Love Spaghetti – Some More Ragu”: Iliocostalis, Longissimis, Spinalis – Semispinalis,
Multifidus, Rotatores
Brachial Plexus
“Really Thirsty? Drink Cold Beer” or “Randy Travis Drinks Cold Beers”: Roots, Trunks, Divisions, Cords, Branches
“MARMU” (terminal nerves): Musculocutaneous, Axillary, Radial, Median, Ulnar
Muscles Inserting into Humerus
“A lady between two majors”
Pectoralis major attaches to lateral lip of bicipital groove, the teres major attaches to
medial lip of bicipital groove, and the latissimus dorsi attaches to the floor of bicipital
groove. The “lati” is between two “majors”
Carpal Bones
(4 proximal, lateral to medial; 4 distal, lateral to medial)
“She Looks Too Pretty Try To Catch Her” (Thanks to Naman Sachdeva for this)
or
“Some Lovers/Lions Try Positions That They Can’t Handle”:
Scaphoid, Lunate, Triquetrum, Pisiform, Trapezoid, Trapezium, Capitate, Hamate.
“TrapeziUM at the thUMb”
“TrapeziOID is inSIDE”
“Flexor carpi superficialis splits in two, to permit profundus to pass through”
Radial Nerve Innervations
“BEST”: Brachioradialis, Extensors, Supinator, Triceps.
Median Nerve Innervations
“2LOAF”: Lateral 2 Lumbricals, Opponens pollicis, Abductor pollicis brevis, Flexor
pollicis brevis.
Rotator Cuff Muscles
(3 greater tubercle; 1 lesser tubercle)
“SITS”: Superspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres minor, Subscapularis
Transverse Scapular Ligament
Army over (bridge), Navy under (bridge)
Artery goes over and Nerve goes under the ligament
Cubital Fossa
(lateral to medial)
“TAN”: Tendon (biceps brachii), Artery (brachial), Nerve (medial)
Hand
“PAD”: Palmar (hand) muscles ADduct
“DAB”: Dorsal (hand) muscles ABduct
“All For One And One For All” (medial to lateral):
Abductor digiti minimi, Flexor digiti minimi, Opponens digiti minimi, Adductor policis,
Opponens pollicis, Flexor pollicis brevis, Abductor pollicis brevis
Axillary Artery Branches
“Save The Lions And Protect Species”: Supreme/Superior Thoracic Artery,
Thoracoacromial Artery, Lateral Thoracic, Anterior Circumflex Humeral, Posterior
Circumflex Humeral, Subscapular (thoracodorsal and circumflex scapular)
Thoracoacromial Artery Branches
“CAlifornia Police Department”: Clavicular, Acromial, Pectoral, Deltoid
Pectoral Nerves
“Lateral is less, medial is more”
Lateral pectoral nerve goes through pectoralis major, while medial pectoral nerve goes
though both pectoralis major and minor.
Deep Posterior Leg Muscles
“Down The Hatch”: flexor Digitorum longus, Tibialis posterior, flexor Hallucis longus
Medial Malleolus
(anterior to posterior)
“Tom, Dick, And Very Nervous Harry”: Tibialis posterior, flexor Digitorum longus
tendon, posteriotibial Artery, posteriotibial Vein, tibial Nerve, flexor Hallucis longus
SGT FOS
(connections to pes anserinus)
Sartorius (Femoral nerve), Gracilis (Obturator nerve), SemiTendinosus (Sciatic nerve)
Femoral Triangle Boundaries
Please suggest any anatomy mnemonics for these if you have. Here are ours:
“So I May Always Love Sally”: Superiorly – Inguinal ligament, Medially – Adductor
longus, Laterally – Sartorius
Order of Structures in Femoral Triangle / Groin
(lateral to medial)
“NAVEL”: Nerve, Artery, Vein, Empty space, Lymphatics
Leg Anterior Compartment
“The Hospitals Are Not Dirty Places”: Tibialis anterior, extensor Hallucis longus,
anterior tibial Artery, deep fibular Nerve, extensor Digitorum longus, Peronius tertius
Cruciate Ligament Paths and Insertions
“PAMs ApPLes”: Posterior [passes] Anteriorly [and inserts] Medially; Anterior [passes]
Posteriorly [and inserts] Laterally
Terrible (Unhappy) Triad Knee Injury
(American football injury)
“ATM” for money-maker: Anterior cruciate ligament, Tibial (medial) collateral ligament,
Medial meniscus
Leg Nerves
“FED”: Fibular nerve Everts and Dorsiflexes the foot
“TIP”: Tibial nerve Inverts and Plantarflexes the foot
AFA 222 FAF
(plantar region of foot)
Layer 1: Abductor Hallucis, Flexor digitorum brevis, Abductor digiti minimi
Layer 2: Two tendons (Flexor Hallucis longus, flexor digitorum longus), Two muscles
(lumbricles, quadratus plantae)
Layer 3: Flexor Hallucis brevis, Adductor Hallucis (oblique and transverse heads), Flexor
digiti minimi brevis
Tarsal Tunnel Contents
(superior to inferior)
“Tiny Dogs Are Not Hunters”: Tibialis posterior, flexor Digitorum longus, posterior
tibial Artery, tibial Nerve, flexor Hallucis longus
Inguinal Canal Walls
(superior moving around in order to posterior)
“2MALT: 2M, 2A, 2L, 2T”:
Superior wall (roof): 2 Muscles: internal oblique Muscle, transverse abdominus Muscle
Anterior wall: 2 Aponeuroses: Aponeurosis of external oblique, Aponeurosis of internal
oblique
Lower wall (floor): 2 Ligaments: inguinal Ligament, lacunar Ligament
Posterior wall: 2Ts: Transversalis fascia, conjoint Tendon
Tarsal Bones
“Traverse City (is) Noted (for) MIchigan’s Lovely Cherries”: Talus Calcaneus (new row),
Navicular (new row), Medial Intermediate cuneiforms, Lateral cuneiform, Cuboid
Hip Lateral Rotators
(Femur Greater Trochanter Attachments)
“P-GO-GO-Q”: Piriformis Gemellus superior Obturator internus Gemellus inferior
Obturator externus Quadratus femoris
Ribs (superior to inferior), Neck and Sublingual Hiatus (medial to lateral)
“VAN”: Vein, Artery, Nerve
Vagal Nerve Path Into Thorax
“Not Left Behind”: Left is anterior (not behind), Right is posterior
Lung Vessels
“RALS”: Right lung artery is Anterior to broncus, Left lung artery is Superior to bronchus
Structures Piercing The Diaphragm
“I 8 10 Eggs At 12”: T8 = IVC, T10 = Esophagus, T12 = Aorta
Heart Valves
“RAT, LAMB”: Right Atrial Tricuspid, Left Atrial Mitral (Bicuspid) – or –
“LAB RAT”: Left Atrial Bicuspid, Right Atrial Tricuspid
Spinal Nerves
The anatomy mnemonics for Spinal nerves are:
“C3-4-5 keep the phrenic nerve (or diaphragm) alive”
“C5-6-7 raise your arms to heaven” (long thoracic nerve roots innervate serratus anterior)
Scrotum Layers
(superficial to deep)
“Some Dang Englishman Called It The Testis”: Skin, Dartos, External spermatic fascia,
Cremaster, Internal spermatic fascia, Tunica vaginalis,Testis
Innervation of the Penis
“S2,3,4 keep the penis off the floor”
Refers to the innervation of the penis by branches of the pudendal nerve, which is derived
from spinal cord levels S2-4.
Point, Shoot, Score
Parasympathetic for erection, Sympathetic for ejaculation, Somatomotor for
Great Vessels
“ABC’S”: Aortic arch gives off the Brachiocephalic trunk, the left Common carotid, and
the left Subclavian artery
“Boston College Stinks”: right Brachiocephalic trunk, left Common carotid, left
Subclavian artery
Portal Triad
“DAV”: bile Duct, hepatic Artery, portal Vein
Liver Lobes
“GQ”: The Gallbladder is next to the Quadrate lobe
Pathway After Stomach
“Dow Jones Industrial Climbing Average Closing Stock Report”: Duodenum, Jejunum,
Ileum, Cecum, Appendix, Colon (ascending/transverse), Sigmoid colon, Rectum
Spleen
“1,3,5,7,9,11”; It measures 1x3x5 inches, weighs 7 ounces and lies between ribs 9-11.
Thoracic Duct
“The duck is between two gooses.”
duck = thoracic duct
2 gooses = azyGOUS vein and esophaGOUS
Epidermis
“Brent Spiner Gained Lieutenant Commander”
Basale, Spinosum, Granulosum, Lucidum, Corneum
Nasal Cavity Components
“Never Call Me Needle Nose!”: external Nares, Conchae, Meatuses, internal Nares, Nasopharynx
Scalp Layers
(superficial to deep)
“SCALP”: Skin, Connective tissue, Aponeurosis, Loose areolar tissue, Pericranium
Horner’s Syndrome Symptoms
“SPAM”: Sunken eyeballs/Symphathetic plexus (cervical) affected, Ptosis, Anhydrosis,
Miosis
Bell’s Palsy Symptoms
(Unilateral)
“BELL’S Palsy”: Blink reflex abnomal, Earache, Lacrimation (deficient, excess), Loss of
taste, Sudden onset, Palsy of VII nerve muscles
Potentially Absent Muscles
“5 P’s”: Palmaris longus [upper limb] Plantaris [lower limb] Peroneus tertius [lower limb]
Pyramidalis [anterior abdominal wall] Psoas minor [posterior abdominal wall]
Facial Bones
“Virgil Can Not Make My Pet Zebra Laugh!”: Vomer, Conchae, Nasal, Maxilla,
Mandible, Palatine, Zygomatic, Lacrimal
Deep Tendon Reflexes Root Supply
(nursery rhyme)
One, two– buckle my shoe. Three, four– kick the door. Five, six– pick up sticks. Seven,
eight– shut the gate. S1,2 = ankle jerk L3,4 = knee jerk C5,6 = biceps and brachioradialis
C7,8 = triceps
Supra-orbital Fissure
Structures that pass through it:
“Luscious French Tarts Sit Naked In Anticipation Of Sex.”
Lacrimal nerve, Frontal nerve, Trochlear nerve, Superior branch of oculomotor nerve,
Nasociliary nerve, Inferior branch of oculomotor nerve, Abducent nerve, Ophthalmic
veins, Sympathetic nerves
Cranial Bones
“Old People From Texas Eat Spiders”
Occipital, Parietal, Frontal, Temporal, Ethnoid, Sphenoid
Cranial Nerves
The anatomy mnemonics for Cranial nerves given below are the best and most widely used by medical students. Perhaps you have heard of them already:
- I On (Olfactory)
- II Old (Optic)
- III Olympus (Oculomotor)
- IV Towering (Trochlear)
- V Tops, (Trigeminal)
- VI A (Abducens)
- VII Finn (Facial)
- VIII And (Auditory)
- IX German (Glossopharyngeal)
- X Viewed (Vagus)
- XI Astounding (Accessory)
- XII Hops (Hypoglossal)
Another one is: Oh Oh Oh Try Try Again Failure Victory Give Value And Happiness (Thanks to Ali for mentioning it in comments)
where O- Olfactory, O- Optic, O- Occulomotor, T- Trochlear, T- Trigeminal, A- Abducens, F- Facial, V-Vestibulocochlear (Auditory), G- Glossopharyngeal, V- Vagus, A- Accessory, H- Hypoglossal
- I Some (Sensory)
- II Say (Sensory)
- III Marry (primarily Motor)
- IV Money, (primarily Motor)
- V But (Both)
- VI My (primarily Motor)
- VII Brother (Both)
- VIII Says (Sensory)
- IX Big (Both)
- X Bras (Both)
- XI Matter (primarily Motor)
- XII More (primarily Motor)
Extraocular Muscles
Anatomy mnemonics for Extra-ocular muscles are:
“LR6 – SO4 – rest3” or “(SO4LR6)3”
LR6 Lateral rectus –> VI abducens
SO4 Superior Oblique –> IV Trochlear
Remaining 4 eyeball movers –> III oculomotor
Branches of Suclavian Artery
“VT is Cold”: Vertebral, Thyrocervical trunk, Costocervical trunk
External Carotid Artery Branches
“Some Anatomists Like Freaking Out Poor Medical Students” or “Suzy Always Lays
Flat On Pillows Making Sweets Terrific”: Superior thyroid, Ascending pharyngeal,
Lingual, Facial, Occipital, Posterior auricular, Maxillary, Superificial Temporal
Internal Jugular Vein
(inferior to superior)
“Medical Schools Let Confident People In”: Middle thyroid, Superior thyroid, Lingual,
Common facial, Pharyngeal, Inferior petrosal sinus
Facial Nerve Branches
“Please, To Zanzibar By Motor Car” or “Ten Zombies Bought My Car”
Posterior auricular, Temporal, Zygomatic, Buccal, Masseteric, Cervical
Trigeminal Nerve – Where Branches Exit Skull
“Standing Room Only”: Superior orbital fissure (V1), foramen Rotundum (V2), foramen
Ovale (V3)
Ansa Cervicalis Nerves
“GHost THought SOmeone STupid SHot Irene”: GenioHyoid, ThyroHyoid, Superior
Omohyoid, SternoThyfoid, SternoHyoid, Inferior omohyoid
Cervical Plexus – Arrangement of Important Nerves
“GLAST”: 4 compass points, clockwise from north on the right side of neck: Great
auricular, Lesser occipital, Accessory nerve (pops out between L and S), Supraclavicular,
Transverse cervical
CN V – V3 Innervated Muscles
(Brachial Arch 1 Derivatives)
“M.D. My T.V.”: Mastication (masseter, temporalis, pterygoids), Digastric (anterior
belly), MYlohyoid, tensor Tympani, tensor Veli palatine
V3 Sensory Branches
“Buccaneers Are Inferior Linguists”: Buccal, Auriculotemporal, Inferior alveolar,
Lingual
Facial Expression Muscles
(Making A Face To Say PSS)
“PSS”: Posterior belly of digastric, Stapedius, Stylohyoid
Lacrimal Nerve Course
(Story of 8 L’s)
Lacrimal nerve runs on Lateral wall of orbit above Lateral rectus, then Lets
communicating branch join in, then supplies Lacrimal gland, then Leaves it and supplies
Lateral upper eye Lid
Conclusion
Have any other anatomy mnemonics? Do share them in the comments section below, we will so love to hear new anatomy mnemonics from our readers!