BoneLong bone
Distal phalanx of the thumb
Latin: Phalanx media sinistra
Location: Hand — digits
Paired structure: one on the left and one on the right side of the body.
View the distal phalanx of the thumb in 3DFunction
The thumb's distal phalanx — broader and flatter than the fingers', built for pinch stability rather than range.
Landmarks
- Base
- Shaft
- Head
- Palmar ridge (flexor sheath)
Articulations (joints)
- Proximal phalanx of the thumb
- Tendinous attachments only (distal tuft)
Clinical relevance
Thumb distal tuft fractures usually pierce the nail bed — these are open injuries needing nail-bed repair.
Educational anatomy reference, not medical advice. About this content.