On which side of the hand is the first metacarpal located?

The first metacarpal is located on the lateral side of the hand, which corresponds to the thumb side. In anatomical terms, the lateral side refers to the aspect of the body that is further away from the midline. When discussing the hand, this places the first metacarpal on the outer edge of the hand when in the standard anatomical position, where the palms face forward.

Understanding the terminology is key in anatomy. The medial side would refer to the side closer to the body's midline, which is where the fifth metacarpal, associated with the little finger, is located. The central option does not apply to the metacarpals specifically. Posterior relates to the back side of the body, which is not a relevant description for the positioning of the first metacarpal in relation to the entire hand. Thus, locating the first metacarpal laterally aligns with the anatomical structure of the hand.