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The human hand is a complex network of bones, muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, and parts of the lymphatic system. The fingers are made up of phalanges, the individual bones that form the segments of the fingers and thumb. While fingers do not contain muscles, the muscles that move the finger joints are located in the palm and forearm. These muscles are connected to the bones by tendons, which are like strong, flexible ropes. The muscles of the hand can be divided into two groups: the extrinsic and intrinsic muscle groups. The extrinsic muscles are the long flexors and extensors, which are responsible for the movement of the hand and fingers. The intrinsic muscle groups are the thenar and hypothenar muscles, the interossei muscles, and the lumbrical muscles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of muscles in fingers | 0 |
| Muscles that move the finger joints | Located in the palm and forearm |
| Tendons | Long tendons that deliver motion from the forearm muscles |
| Bones | Phalanges, metacarpals, and carpals |
| Ligaments | Fibrous tissues that bind together the joints in the hand |
| Sheaths | Tubular structures that surround part of the fingers |
| Nerves | Radial, median, and ulnar nerves |
| Blood vessels | Present in the hand and wrist |
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What You'll Learn
- Fingers do not contain muscles, but the muscles that move the finger joints are in the palm and forearm
- The muscles of the hand can be divided into two groups: the extrinsic and intrinsic muscle groups
- The intrinsic muscle groups are the thenar (thumb) and hypothenar (little finger) muscles
- The extrinsic muscles are the long flexors and extensors
- The flexors allow for the actual bending of the fingers
Fingers do not contain muscles, but the muscles that move the finger joints are in the palm and forearm
Fingers do not contain muscles, except for the arrector pili muscles. The muscles that control the movement of the finger joints are located in the palm and forearm. These muscles are connected to the bones in the fingers through tendons, which are strong, flexible, rope-like tissues. Tendons pass through tubular structures called sheaths, which surround the fingers.
The muscles in the palm and forearm that control finger movement are divided into two groups: extrinsic and intrinsic. The extrinsic muscles are the long flexors and extensors, which are located in the forearm. The intrinsic muscles are the smaller muscles located within the hand itself. These include the thenar (thumb) and hypothenar (little finger) muscles, the interossei muscles, and the lumbrical muscles.
The thenar muscle group is located at the base of the thumb and allows for movements such as pulling the thumb away from the index finger and bending the thumb towards the little finger. The hypothenar muscle group, on the other hand, is responsible for the movement of the little finger, allowing it to pull away from the ring finger and bend at the MCP joint.
The interossei muscles are responsible for spreading the fingers apart and pulling them together. There are four dorsal and three palmar interossei muscles. The first dorsal interosseous muscle is the largest and is often the first to shrink in patients with severe cubital tunnel syndrome.
The lumbrical muscles help the fingers to straighten and also assist in bending the MCP joints. They arise from the deep flexor and insert on the dorsal extensor hood mechanism, without having any bony origin.
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The muscles of the hand can be divided into two groups: the extrinsic and intrinsic muscle groups
The human hand is a complex structure made up of bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, sheaths, arteries, veins, and nerves. The muscles of the hand can be divided into two groups: the extrinsic and intrinsic muscle groups.
The extrinsic muscle group is called so because the muscle belly originates in the forearm. These muscles are located in the anterior and posterior compartments of the forearm and control crude movements and produce a forceful grip. They are the long flexors and extensors. The extensors are located on the back of the forearm and are connected to the dorsum of the fingers. The flexors, on the other hand, are located on the underside of the forearm and insert by tendons into the phalanges of the fingers. The deep flexor attaches to the distal phalanx, while the superficial flexor attaches to the middle phalanx. These flexors allow for the actual bending of the fingers.
The intrinsic muscle groups, on the other hand, consist of smaller muscles located within the hand itself. They are responsible for the fine motor functions of the hand and are important for various hand functions, such as pinch and grip strength. The intrinsic muscle groups include the thenar (thumb) and hypothenar (little finger) muscles, the interossei muscles, and the lumbrical muscles. The thenar muscle group is formed by three muscles: the abductor pollicis brevis, the flexor pollicis brevis, and the opponens pollicis. The opponens pollicis is the largest of the thenar muscles and lies underneath the other two. These muscles are responsible for the fine movements of the thumb and allow us to grasp objects. The hypothenar muscle group is formed by three muscles: the abductor digiti minimi, the flexor digiti minimi, and the opponens digiti minimi. They form the muscle bulk on the small finger side of the hand, allowing the small finger to pull away from the ring finger and to bend at the MCP joint. The interossei muscles are located between the metacarpal bones of the hand and can be divided into two groups: dorsal and palmar. There are four dorsal and three palmar interossei muscles. They assist in the abduction and adduction of the fingers, respectively, and also help with flexion at the MCP joints and extension at the IP joints. The lumbrical muscles arise from the deep flexor and insert on the dorsal extensor hood mechanism. They help the fingers to straighten and bend at the MCP joints.
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The intrinsic muscle groups are the thenar (thumb) and hypothenar (little finger) muscles
The human hand is a complex structure made up of numerous muscles, ligaments, tendons, and sheaths. The muscles are the structures that allow the hand to move by contracting and relaxing. The muscles of the hand can be divided into two groups: the extrinsic and intrinsic muscle groups. The intrinsic muscle groups are the thenar (thumb) and hypothenar (little finger) muscles.
The thenar muscle group is found at the base of the thumb, forming the muscle bulk on the thumb side of the hand. It is made up of three muscles: the abductor pollicis brevis, the flexor pollicis brevis, and the opponens pollicis. The abductor pollicis brevis pulls the thumb away from the index finger, and the flexor pollicis brevis bends the thumb toward the small finger. The opponens pollicis is the largest of the thenar muscles and lies underneath the other two. It performs one of the most important functions of the human hand: the ability to bring the thumb away from the fingers so that we can grasp objects. The thumb has one long flexor and a short flexor in the thenar muscle group. The human thumb also has other muscles in the thenar group (opponens and abductor brevis muscle), moving the thumb in opposition, making grasping possible.
The hypothenar muscle group is formed by three muscles: the abductor digiti minimi, the flexor digiti minimi, and the opponens digiti minimi. They form the muscle bulk on the small finger side of the hand. The abductor digiti minimi is the most superficial of the hypothenar muscle group. It allows the small finger to pull away from the ring finger. The flexor digiti minimi allows the small finger to bend at the MCP joint. The opponens digiti minimi allows us to cup our hands, bringing the small finger towards the thumb. The hypothenar muscles form the hypothenar eminence – a muscular protrusion on the medial side of the palm, at the base of the little finger.
The intrinsic muscles provide fine motor movements. The extrinsic muscles, on the other hand, provide strength to the hand. The muscles of the hand are innervated by the radial, median, and ulnar nerves from the brachial plexus. The radial nerve innervates the finger extensors and the thumb abductor. The median nerve innervates the flexors of the wrist and digits, the abductors and opponens of the thumb, and the first and second lumbricals. The ulnar nerve innervates the remaining intrinsic muscles of the hand.
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The extrinsic muscles are the long flexors and extensors
The human hand is a complex structure made up of bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and sheaths. The muscles in the hand are responsible for its movement and can be broadly classified into two groups: the extrinsic and intrinsic muscle groups. The extrinsic muscles are the long flexors and extensors, and they are called extrinsic because the muscle belly is located on the forearm. The forearm muscles are divided into two compartments: the anterior flexor compartment and the posterior extensor compartment. The muscles of the forearm work together to move the elbow, forearm, wrist, and digits of the hand.
The fingers have two long flexors, located on the underside of the forearm. The deep flexor attaches to the distal phalanx, and the superficial flexor attaches to the middle phalanx. The flexors allow for the actual bending of the fingers. The thumb has one long flexor and a short flexor in the thenar muscle group. The extensors are located on the back of the forearm and are connected in a more complex way than the flexors to the dorsum of the fingers. The tendons of the extensors unite with the interosseous and lumbrical muscles to form the extensor hood mechanism. The primary function of the extensors is to straighten out the digits. The thumb has two extensors in the forearm, and the tendons of these form the anatomical snuff box.
The intrinsic muscle groups are the thenar (thumb) and hypothenar (little finger) muscles, the interossei muscles, and the lumbrical muscles. The thenar muscle group is found at the base of the thumb, forming the muscle bulk on the thumb side of the hand. It is comprised of three muscles: the abductor pollicis brevis, the flexor pollicis brevis, and the opponens pollicis. The abductor pollicis brevis pulls the thumb away from the index finger, and the flexor pollicis brevis bends the thumb toward the little finger. The opponens pollicis is responsible for bringing the thumb away from the fingers, allowing us to grasp objects. The hypothenar muscle group is formed by three muscles: the abductor digiti minimi, the flexor digiti minimi, and the opponens digiti minimi. They form the muscle bulk on the small finger side of the hand. The abductor allows the small finger to pull away from the ring finger, the flexor allows the small finger to bend at the MCP joint, and the opponens allow us to cup our hands by bringing the small finger towards the thumb.
The interossei muscles begin between the metacarpal bones of the hand. There are four dorsal and three palmar interossei muscles. While all interossei bend the MCP joints, the dorsal interossei allow us to spread our fingers away from each other, and the palmar interossei pull our fingers together. The first dorsal interosseous muscle is the largest and originates from the 1st and 2nd hand bones. It forms the contour between the thumb and index finger when looking at the top of the hand. The lumbrical muscles allow the fingers to straighten and help bend the MCP joints.
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The flexors allow for the actual bending of the fingers
The muscles of the hand are skeletal muscles that enable the movement of the hand and fingers. They can be divided into two groups: the extrinsic and intrinsic muscle groups. The extrinsic muscle groups are the long flexors and extensors, located in the forearm. The intrinsic group, on the other hand, consists of smaller muscles found within the hand itself. These include the thenar (thumb) and hypothenar (little finger) muscles, the interossei muscles, and the lumbrical muscles.
The flexors are essential for bending the fingers. The fingers have two long flexors, situated on the underside of the forearm, which attach to the phalanges of the fingers via tendons. The deep flexor connects to the distal phalanx, while the superficial flexor connects to the middle phalanx. The thumb, in contrast, has one long flexor and a short flexor in the thenar muscle group. The thenar muscle group, located at the base of the thumb, includes the abductor pollicis brevis, flexor pollicis brevis, and opponens pollicis muscles. The flexor pollicis brevis, in particular, is responsible for bending the thumb towards the small finger.
The interossei muscles, consisting of four dorsal and three palmar muscles, also play a role in finger movement. While all interossei muscles contribute to bending the MCP joints, the dorsal interossei enable us to spread our fingers apart, and the palmar interossei bring our fingers together. The first dorsal interosseous muscle, for instance, shapes the contour between the thumb and index finger when viewed from the top of the hand.
In addition to the muscles, tendons are crucial for finger movement. Tendons are strong cords that connect muscles to bones. When muscles contract, the tendons pull on these attachments, causing the joints to move. Flexor tendons, in particular, run from the forearm, across the wrist and palm, and into the fingers, facilitating finger bending and grasping actions. However, injuries to these flexor tendons can result in a loss of bending ability in one or more finger joints.
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Frequently asked questions
No, fingers do not contain muscles (other than arrector pili). The muscles that move the finger joints are in the palm and forearm. The long tendons that deliver motion from the forearm muscles may be observed to move under the skin at the wrist and on the back of the hand.
The tendons that control the bones in the fingers are attached to 17 muscles in the palm of the hand and 18 in the forearm. The muscles that close the hand are known as flexors, and the ones that open the hand are extensors. Some are small and help control each individual finger.
The intrinsic muscle groups include the thenar (thumb) and hypothenar (little finger) muscles. The thenar muscle group is found at the base of the thumb, forming the muscle bulk on the thumb side of the hand. It is comprised of three muscles: the abductor pollicis brevis, the flexor pollicis brevis, and the opponens pollicis. The hypothenar muscle group is formed by three muscles: the abductor digiti minimi, the flexor digiti minimi, and the opponens digiti minimi.
