facts about hands

10 Fun Facts About Hands You Need To Know

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Facts about the Human Hands

  • The human hand has around 29 major and small bones. This is not a universal number; many people have more bones than others.
  • Only 10 to 15% of all human beings are left-handed. One in 100 people are ambidextrous. This means that they can use both their hands equally.
  • The hands contain 29 major joints, at most 123 ligaments and 34 muscles. There are also 48 nerves and 30 blood vessels.
  • Nine muscles control the thumb, while three major hand nerves control it.
  • The fingers do not have muscles. Instead, the muscles that bend fingers are found in the palm and middle of the forearm. They are connected to the fingers via tendons.
  • One-quarter of the brain’s motor cortex is dedicated to the movement of the hand muscles.
  • Only primates can use their hands. There are 300 primate species, including humans, monkeys, apes, monkeys, and prosimians (lemurs lorises, tarsiers, and lorises).
  • Human hands can grasp things that primates like gorillas and chimps cannot. Because we have longer hands and stronger thumbs than our primate cousins, this is possible.
  • Touch can increase the production of oxytocin. This “feel good” hormone is released during bonding activities.
  • Holding hands can reduce cortisol levels, which is a stress hormone.