Proximal and distal are terms that are used to indicate distances from a standard point of reference. These are terms that are mostly used in the medical world and not used commonly in daily conversation. Proximal is the opposite of distal. This article takes a closer look at proximal and distal to come up with their differences.
Proximal refers to a location that is closer to a standard point of reference, often used in anatomy to indicate a part situated closest to the point of attachment. Distal, on the other hand, refers to a point that is located farthest or far away from a standard point of reference. In general, proximal means near or close to, and distal means away or farther from the point of reference.
Key Takeaways
- Proximal and distal are terms used to refer to locations in the body of an individual or an animal in terms of a standard point of reference.
- Proximal means near or close to, while distal means away or farther from the point of reference.
- You can think of distal as being related to distant, whereas you can think of proximal as being in proximity of something.
