Description
The phalanges (phalangeal bones) of hand are one of the three groups of bones of the hand, the other two being the carpal and metacarpal bones. They’re located distal to the metacarpal bones and collectively form the skeletal framework of the fingers.
Overall, there are fourteen phalanges in the hand, and they are all classified as long bones. They are arranged into three rows of proximal, middle and distal phalanges, except for the thumb, which lacks a middle phalanx. The proximal phalanges are the largest and longest of the phalanges in the hand, while the distal phalanges are the smallest and shortest. The proximal and middle phalanges share a similar morphology, while the distal phalanges are different in appearance.
Related parts of the anatomy
Learn more about this topic from other Elsevier products
Phalanx
The joints of the phalanges are the proximal, medial, and distal joints and are referred to as follows:
