Which term describes the bottom surface of the foot?

Which term describes the bottom surface of the foot?

• A. Dorsal
• B. Palmar
• C. Ventral
• D. Plantar

Answer: (D)

Think about how we name body surfaces. The bottom surface of the foot, the part that would contact the ground, is called the plantar surface—the sole. Dorsal refers to the top side of the foot, the surface you’d see when looking down at it. Palmar is the equivalent term for the palm of the hand, not the foot. Ventral is a general term for the front or belly side of the body; in humans it’s used more broadly, but the specific term for the sole is plantar. So plantar is the correct term for the bottom of the foot.

Think about how we name body surfaces. The bottom surface of the foot, the part that would contact the ground, is called the plantar surface—the sole. Dorsal refers to the top side of the foot, the surface you’d see when looking down at it. Palmar is the equivalent term for the palm of the hand, not the foot. Ventral is a general term for the front or belly side of the body; in humans it’s used more broadly, but the specific term for the sole is plantar. So plantar is the correct term for the bottom of the foot.