Medial vs. Lateral: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Medial refers to being closer to the midline of the body or structure, while Lateral means being farther from the midline.
Key Differences
Medial is a term used in anatomy and medicine to describe a position that is nearer to the midline or center of the body. For instance, the nose is medial to the ears. In contrast, Lateral refers to a position that is farther from the midline. The ears are lateral to the nose, indicating their position away from the center of the body.
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Nov 27, 2023
In describing body parts, Medial signifies closeness to the imaginary line dividing the body into left and right halves. For example, the thumb is medial to the little finger. Conversely, Lateral is used to indicate that a body part is situated on the side, further from this central line. The little finger is lateral to the thumb.
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Medial also applies to movements or extensions towards the body’s midline. When you move your arms toward your body, this is a medial movement. On the other hand, Lateral movements are those moving away from the midline, such as when arms are extended outwards from the body.
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In terms of injury or condition descriptions, Medial can be used to describe issues closer to the body's center. A medial ankle sprain affects the part of the ankle nearer to the midline. Lateral, however, would describe conditions on the outer aspects, like a lateral knee injury which occurs on the outer side of the knee.
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In certain medical treatments or procedures, Medial might be used to reference an approach or technique closer to the body's midline. Lateral approaches or techniques, in contrast, involve working on or through the sides of the body.
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Nov 27, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Injury Location
Injuries closer to the center of the body.
Injuries on the outer sides of the body.
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Surgical Approach
Surgical procedures near the midline.
Surgical procedures on the sides of the body.
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Example in Limbs
The thumb is medial compared to other fingers.
The little finger is lateral compared to other fingers.
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Medial and Lateral Definitions
Medial
Pertaining to or situated near the median plane of the body.
The medial eye is closer to the nose than the outer eye.
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Lateral
Pertaining to the side; away from the midline.
The ears are lateral to the eyes.
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Medial
Situated in the median plane or in the midline of a body or structure.
The umbilicus is in a medial position on the abdomen.
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Lateral
Pertaining to or situated at the side of a structure.
The lateral files in the cabinet are arranged along the sides.
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Medial
Occurring within or belonging to the middle portion.
The medial section of the spinal cord contains vital neural pathways.
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Lateral
Of or constituting a change within an organization or hierarchy to a position at a similar level, as in salary or responsibility, to the one being left
Made a lateral move within the company.
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Medial
(Linguistics) Being a sound, syllable, or letter occurring between the initial and final positions in a word or morpheme.
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Lateral
(Linguistics) Of, relating to, or being a sound produced by breath passing along one or both sides of the tongue.
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Medial
A sound, letter, or form of a letter that is neither initial nor final.
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Lateral
To the side; of or pertaining to the side.
Instead of a promotion, I opted for a lateral move to a similar position in the marketing department.
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Medial
Pertaining to the inside; closer to the median plane of the body or the midline of an organ.
The medial side of the knee faces the other knee, while the outer side of the knee is lateral.
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Lateral
Situated on one side or other of the body or of an organ, especially in the region furthest from the median plane.
The medial side of the knee faces the other knee, while the outer side of the knee is lateral.
A fish senses changes in hydrodynamic pressure with its lateral line.
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Medial
(anatomy) Pertaining to the middle layer of a blood vessel, to its tunica media.
Mönckeberg medial sclerosis
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Lateral
(disease) Affecting the side or sides of the body, or confined to one side of the body.
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Medial
(entomology) Of or pertaining to the media and/or the areas of the wing next to it.
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Lateral
(physics) Acting or placed at right angles to a line of motion or strain.
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Medial
(phonetics) of a consonant Central: produced when air flows across the center of the mouth over the tongue.
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Lateral
Pertaining to speech sounds generated by partially blocking the egress of the airstream with the tongue, leaving space on one or both sides of the occlusion for air passage.
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Lateral
An object, such as a passage or a protrusion, that is situated on the side of something else.
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Lateral
(linguistics) A sound produced through lateral pronunciation (such as /l/ in lateral).
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Lateral
(business) An employee hired for a position at the same organizational level or salary as their previous position.
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Lateral
Of or pertaining to the sides; as, the lateral walls of a house; the lateral branches of a tree.
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Medial
Pertaining to the middle; nearer to the midline.
The heart is medial to the lungs.
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Lateral
Lying at, or extending toward, the side; away from the mesial plane; external; - opposed to mesial.
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Medial
Relating to or situated at or extending toward the inner side.
The medial side of the knee faces the other knee.
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Lateral
A short pass to a receiver who is upfield from the passer, i.e. is behind the passer relative to the direction of the passer's goal.
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Lateral
A part or extension of something that points sideways, as a drift in a mine that goes to the side from the main one.
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Lateral
To pass the footbal to a receiver who is behind the passer; to make a lateral pass; as, the ball was lateraled to the fullback, who ran it for a touchdown.
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Lateral
Situated at or extending to the side;
The lateral branches of a tree
Shot out sidelong boughs
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Lateral
Lying away from the median and sagittal plane of a body;
Lateral lemniscus
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Lateral
Situated at, proceeding from, or directed to a side.
Lateral movement in a dance routine emphasizes side-to-side motion.
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Lateral
Relating to the sides of an organism or a structure.
The lateral branches of a tree extend outward from the trunk.
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Lateral
Occurring on or directed toward the side.
Lateral thinking involves approaching problems from new angles.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
Is Medial used in medical diagnoses?
Yes, to describe conditions closer to the midline.
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Nov 27, 2023
Can Medial be used to describe movements?
Yes, such as moving the arm towards the body's midline.
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How does Medial relate to surgical procedures?
It refers to approaches near the midline.
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What does Medial mean?
Medial refers to being closer to the body's midline.
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Nov 27, 2023
Can you give an example of a Lateral position?
The ears are lateral to the nose.
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What does Lateral mean?
Lateral indicates being farther from the body's midline.
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What is an example of a Medial position in the body?
The nose is medial to the ears.
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How is Lateral used in describing injuries?
To denote injuries on the body's outer sides.
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Can Lateral refer to external body parts only?
No, it's about position relative to the midline.
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Can Medial and Lateral change based on perspective?
Yes, depending on the anatomical reference.
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Is Lateral movement away from the midline?
Yes, like extending arms outwards from the body.
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Do surgeons use Lateral approaches?
Yes, for procedures on the body's sides.
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Can something be both Medial and Lateral?
Yes, depending on the reference point.
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How do Medial and Lateral help in anatomy?
They provide precise location descriptions.
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Nov 27, 2023
Are Medial and Lateral terms universal in medicine?
Yes, they are standard terms in medical terminology.
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Nov 27, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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