Question

How is the elbow proximal to the wrist but distal to the shoulder?

Answer 1

Hint: Proximal and distal are the words used to define the position or distance of a particular object or things. In human body parts, proximal and distance are defined concerning the center of the body or the point of attachment.

Complete answer:
The words proximal and distal are the antonyms of each other. Proximal is used to define the position of the body parts or organs that are nearer to the center of the body or point of attachment of the body. Distal is used for the body parts or organs that are further from the center or trunk of the body.
The pectoral girdle present at the shoulder consists of the bone clavicle and scapula. It connects the forelimbs to the sternum.

The forelimb of a human consists of three long bones- radius, ulna, and humerus. Humerus lies in the upper part of the limb and runs from shoulder to elbow, connecting the radius and ulna with the scapula. It has a large rounded head and a triangular or cylindrical shaft. It plays a major role in the movement and support of the limb. Radius or the radial bone runs from the lateral side of the elbow to the thumb side of the wrist. It articulates with the humerus and ulna to provide supination and pronation. It also helps in the movement of the wrist. It runs parallel to the ulna bone. The ulna is found on the medial side of the forearm. It runs from the elbow to the smallest finger of the palm. It acts as a stabilizing bone and helps the radius bone for the hand movement by pivoting with it. It is thinner than the radius bone.
The humerus is the longest bone among these three bones. The ulna is the second longest bone.

Elbow is the visible joint between the upper forelimb (humerus) and lower forelimb (radius and ulna). These bones are held together by ligaments and are covered with cartilage that allows the easy movement of the joint. Elbow joint is a type of hinge-synovial joint.
The elbow joint is connected to the wrist with the bones radius and ulna. Humerus connects the shoulder with the elbow joint. As the length of the humerus is more than the length of the radius and ulna, the elbow joint is proximal to the wrist and distal to the shoulder. The point of attachment or center here is the elbow joint.

Note: The length of the forearm bones is more in the males as compared with females. Males have longer arms and legs.
The elbow joint is one of the largest joints that give a 180-degree swing to the forearm in a direction. The carrying angle is the resting angle of the elbow that prevents the arms from hitting during walking. Females have a larger carrying angle than males due to the presence of smaller bones.