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Facts About the Human Hand

With 9 feet of blood vessels per square inch and consisting of 29 major and minor bones, 29 major joints, 48 nerves and 123 ligaments, the hand is one of the most interesting parts of the human anatomy.

  1. The Palm

    • The skin on the palm of the hand has no fingerprints, hair or color pigmentation.

    The Fingers

    • The 35 muscles that control the fingers are not located in the fingers. Seventeen are located in the palm and 18 in the forearm.

    Fingernails

    • Fingernails grow an average of 1/10 of an inch each month. Fingernails grow 4 times faster than toenails.

    Language

    • The hearing impaired depend on the use of their hands to communicate through a language known as sign language in which the hands are used to represent words and phrases.

    Fun Fact

    • Long ago in Ireland, the Druids would send secret messages to one another by touching different parts of the hand to represent letters of their alphabet. Since ancient times, the hand has been a symbol representing protection.

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