What does the term "distal" refer to?

The term "distal" refers to a position that is farther from the point of attachment or the center of the body. In anatomical terminology, it is commonly used to describe locations on the limbs. For example, when discussing the arm, the hand is considered distal to the elbow because it is farther away from the body’s central axis compared to the elbow. Understanding this concept is essential for accurately describing the locations of structures in relation to one another in human anatomy.

In contrast, the other terms describe different spatial relationships: "proximal" indicates closeness to the point of attachment (as in the shoulder is proximal to the elbow), while terms like "medial" and "lateral" relate to positions toward or away from the midline of the body, and "superficial" and "deep" refer to positions relative to the body surface.