Lateral and medial

The terms lateral and medial are used to indicate a location or direction. Lateral refers to the side or outside, while medial refers to the inside of the body or a body part. For example, the outside of the knee or moving the arm outwards.

Example

If you have pain on the lateral side of your knee, you feel it on the outside of the knee. Medial knee complaints are on the inside.

It is also possible to use these terms to indicate a location more specifically. For example, you can specify that the complaints are located more towards the medial or lateral side.

These terms are mainly used by (para)medical professionals, such as doctors and physiotherapists, to communicate more accurately about the location of an injury or problem. As a patient, you do not necessarily need to be familiar with these terms, but they can help you better understand a medical report.