The finger bones

What it does

Each finger has three phalanges and the thumb has two, making fourteen per hand. Hinge joints between them let your fingers curl and straighten. There are no muscles inside the fingers; long tendons from the forearm pull on these bones like puppet strings.

Why it matters

Jammed or "mallet" fingers happen when a ball hits a fingertip and tears the tendon that straightens the last joint. Splinting usually fixes it if done early.

Nearby

• The palm bones
• The deep finger flexor
• The finger extensor
• The small muscles of the hand

Read more

• Phalanges of the hand — Wikipedia