Description
The metacarpal bones (metacarpals) are one of the three groups of bones of the hand and are located between the carpal bones and phalanges. They collectively form the metacarpus, the skeletal framework of the palm of the hand. The five metacarpal bones are classified as long bones and are arranged in a single row that is numbered one to five from lateral to medial.
The second to fifth metacarpal bones gradually diverge from the carpus in the distal direction, while the first metacarpal bone is positioned more anteriorly and rotated medially relative to the other metacarpal bones. This allows for opposition of the first metacarpal bone with the other metacarpals, which is crucial to power and precision grips of the hand.
Related parts of the anatomy
