Five long bones in the palm of the hand that connect the wrist to the fingers.
Structure
Each metacarpal has a base that articulates with the carpals, a shaft, and a rounded head that meets a proximal phalanx. They are numbered one through five starting from the thumb.
Joints
The carpometacarpal joint of the thumb is saddle-shaped, allowing the wide range of motion that supports opposition. The other carpometacarpal joints are largely planar and contribute less mobility.
Function
The heads of the metacarpals form the knuckles. Their slight arching gives the palm its concave shape and helps the hand grip and cup objects.
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Metacarpals starts with M and ends with S. Browse other body parts along the same letter.
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