Research Assessment #5

Source: Young, Richard W. Evolution of the Human Hand: The Role of Throwing and Clubbing. NCBI,
NCBI, 20 Jan. 2003, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1571064/.
Analysis:
The hand is the most versatile tool of the human body. Made up of 29 bones, 34 muscles, and 48-
named nerves, it enables us to grasp and understand the objects around us by letting us touch and feel
them. Since the hand is a very important aspect of the human body, it also has an efficient structure that
allows the hand to function. With the aid of the wrist and the fingers, the hand forms a truly unique
system worth understanding in order to build a prosthetic.
Many fossilized records show that human ancestors developed different traits from their ape
relatives because they used different tools and had to hold things in an unusual way. The ape hand has
longer fingers and shorter thumb while the primitive human's hand developed a more dominant trait for
longer thumbs. This brought forth the ability to grasp spears and stones to gather food and shelter. A
more and more dominance and need for this trait essentially lead to where we are today. New records
show that the pinky finger, the 2nd smallest of the five, is reducing ever so slightly due to a lower
dependence. In addition, the use of smartphone and tablets is also causing a curvature of the pinky finger
within toddlers. This obviously depends on the way they hold the phone. Since the age of a dominant
need for longer thumbs, this trait for shorter and curved pinky fingers is considered to the biggest change
in human hand structure.
There are many muscles involved in the movement of a human hand. Many of them can be
summarized into extensor and flexor muscles. Extensor muscles extend our finger to their natural resting
position. Flexor muscles help us close our palm and open it all the way in order to grasp or let go of
something, respectively. Apart from the muscles, another unprecedented attribute of the human hand
concerns finger rotation. When the fingers are flexed, they rotate towards the central axis (along the part
where fingers start and the palm ends) so that the fingertips can meet the tip of the thumb if needed. In
addition to the movements of the hand, nerves play an important role in the uniqueness of the hand. They
help us distinguish when something is too hot or cold, painful or soft, sticky or oily. These nerves are
important in determining the reaction of our hand to a stimulus.
The hand has two major grips: precision and power grip. A precision grip is formed when the
meaty part of the palm forms a jaw while the index and middle form the upper jaw. The ring and the
pinky finger serve as lateral stability to hold the object upright. In this grip, the object is placed into the
mouth formed by the hand. In a power grip, the finger and the palm form a web or spiral around a
cylindrical object. Counter pressure is applied by the thumb, which is wrapped around the other fingers,
where it acts as a buttress to reinforce the grip.
In the end, the structure of a hand is very complex yet unique. Since my original work consists of
me creating a working prosthetic, I hope to understand the mechanics of a hand to develop an efficient
product. This allows me to grasp (pun intended) the range of motion and implement it into my model. I
know that by doing background research on the anatomy and physiology of a hand, I can truly create a
life-like final product.