Which term indicates limb position away from the point where the limb joins the body?

Which term indicates limb position away from the point where the limb joins the body?

• A. Proximal
• B. Medial
• C. Lateral
• D. Distal

Answer: (D)

Distal describes a position farther from where a limb attaches to the body. In the limbs, this means moving away from the trunk toward the end of the limb, such as the hand being distal to the elbow or the fingers distal to the wrist. Proximal is the opposite—closer to the trunk—like the elbow being proximal to the hand. Medial and lateral relate to position relative to the body's midline, not distance from the attachment point, so they don’t indicate how far a limb is from where it joins the body. Hence, the term that indicates limb position away from the point of attachment is distal.

Distal describes a position farther from where a limb attaches to the body. In the limbs, this means moving away from the trunk toward the end of the limb, such as the hand being distal to the elbow or the fingers distal to the wrist. Proximal is the opposite—closer to the trunk—like the elbow being proximal to the hand. Medial and lateral relate to position relative to the body's midline, not distance from the attachment point, so they don’t indicate how far a limb is from where it joins the body. Hence, the term that indicates limb position away from the point of attachment is distal.