Hand movements are complex. The table below shows an overview of hand and thumb movements and the main muscles bringing about these movements.
Table: Movements of the Finger Joints
Finger Movements |
Primary Muscle (Assisting Muscles) |
Primary Nerve (s) |
Flexion of MCPJ of digits 2 – 5 |
Lumbricals (flexor digitorum superficialis, flexor digitorum profundus, flexor digiti minimi, interossei) |
Median and ulnar |
Flexion of PIPJ of digits 2 – 5 |
Flexor digitorum superficialis (flexor digitorum profundus) |
Median |
Flexion of DIPJ of digits 2 – 5 |
Flexor digitorum profundus |
Median and ulnar |
Extension of MCPJ of digits 2 – 5 |
Extensor digitorum, extensor indicis, extensor digiti minimi |
Radial |
Extension of PIPJ and DIPJ of digits 2 – 5 |
Lumbricals and interossei (extensor digitorum) |
Ulnar and median |
Adduction of digits 2 – 5 |
Palmar interossei |
Ulnar |
Abduction of digits 2 – 4 |
Dorsal interossei |
Ulnar |
Abduction of little finger |
Abductor digiti minimi |
Ulnar |
Opposition of little finger |
Opponens digiti minimi |
Ulnar |
Table: Movement of the Thumb Joints
Thumb Movements |
Primary Muscle(s) |
Nerve Supply |
Flexion of thumb at MCPJ |
Flexor pollicis longus and brevis |
Median and ulnar |
Flexion of thumb at IPJ |
Flexor pollicis longus |
Median |
Extension of thumb at CMCJ and MCPJ |
Extensor pollicis longus and brevis |
Radial |
Extension of thumb at IPJ |
Extensor pollicis longus |
Radial |
Abduction of thumb |
Abductor pollicis longus and brevis |
Radial and median |
Adduction of thumb |
Adductor pollicis |
Ulnar |
Opposition of thumb |
Opponens pollicis |
Median |
Muscles of the Hand. (Image by OpenStax [CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons)