Each finger (excluding the thumb) has three joints.
While the provided reference states "four joints in each finger," this is slightly misleading. The thumb only has two joints, while each of the other four fingers has three joints. These joints allow for the range of motion necessary for grasping, manipulating objects, and other fine motor skills.
Here's a breakdown:
- Distal Interphalangeal (DIP) joint: This is the joint closest to the fingertip.
- Proximal Interphalangeal (PIP) joint: This joint is located in the middle of the finger.
- Metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint: This is the joint where the finger connects to the hand. This is often referred to as the knuckle.
The thumb differs, as it lacks the PIP joint, and only has DIP and MCP joints.
In total, each hand has 14 finger joints (3 joints x 4 fingers + 2 joints for the thumb= 14 joints).
