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The hand is an
intricately complex structure that is adapted to permit an unequalled array of
movement. There are over sixty different muscles in the hand to accomplish this.
The five metacarpal bones are the bones of what is considered the hand. The
thumb and fingers are made of bones called phalanges and the bones create joints
so that closing our hand is possible. The thumb has a proximal segment and a
distal segment whereas the fingers or digits have a proximal, middle, and distal
segment. Flexion and extension of the hand and phalanges or fingers are
accomplished by extrinsic muscles of the hand (or those of forearm). Precise
finger movements that require the coordination of abduction and adduction with
flexion and extension are functionally the task of the small intrinsic (those
inside) of the hand. The intrinsic muscles of the hand are divided into thenar
(concerning palm on the thumb side) and hypothenar (concerning palm next to the
little finger), and the intermediate groups.
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