Metacarpophalangeal joint

Definition

The metacarpophalangeal joint is the articulation between the metacarpal bones of the hand and the proximal bones of the fingers. These joints allow for the movement and flexion that enables gripping and manipulation of objects.

Related terms

Metacarpals: These are the five long bones in the hand that connect to the carpals (wrist bones) at one end and to the phalanges (finger bones) at the other.

Phalanges: These are small bones that make up the fingers of the hand, organized into three groups for each finger (proximal, middle, distal) except for the thumb, which has two (proximal and distal).

Flexion: This is a bending movement around a joint in a limb (like bending a finger) that decreases the angle between the bones of the limb at the joint