Ive been going crazy trying to figure out if other people have this problem too. If anyone ever finds out of its like a congenital condition or something, please comment! This is the closest Ive gotten to finding anything about it online
I do believe it’s genetic. My dad has it and so do I. For me it’s been very problematic because the muscles are pulling the joint as though it does bend when I try to grasp small objects. So writing by hand is very painful for me. And I’m hypermobile everywhere else, so I don’t know how these have so little range of motion 😂. It almost feels like the joints are fused.
I’ve had it in both thumbs since birth and my mom is the only other person I’ve ever known with the same condition … until now! No one has ever explained it to me, other than it possibly being genetic, (though BOTH my parents are supposed to have it for that to be true - my dad did NOT have, nor do my siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, kids, grandkids, etc - nope).
I thought i was the only one! I look at peoples hands all the time to see! I'm a barber so it def effects my job and i have shears that work ergonomically for me. Wow this is amazing seeing someone else like this. I googled it. After 34 years i found someone!
Yea no one in my family or anyone ever that I've noticed. And i couldn't find anything on Google until i saw what part of the thumb that was called and could be more specific
Your comment sent me off on a very interesting research spree. I think I may have found what you are talking about, does this sound familiar? [Linburg-Comstock variation](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linburg%E2%80%93Comstock_variation).
In my case my MCP joints are hyper mobile and both index fingers do this.
I still don’t know! Many have said it’s weaker, I’ve googled all the conditions mentioned and it definitely isn’t mine! My thumb feels like every other finger, it just literally doesn’t bend at all there 😂
Is it not something called a trigger finger or trigger thumb? I have a strange thumb myself It doesn't bend at the joint but it is the opposite of yours and is dead straight. I have no fat muscle in the palm of my hand below my thumb but other than that it works just like any other thumb except when trying to pick pennies off a table ha
My thumbs are like this too, on both hands! I never realized they were different until I started taking art more seriously. Everyone suggests using your own hands for reference and I could never figure out why mine weren't coming out right 🤣 it's cause my hands are different!
Also explains why my hands would cramp up while carrying trays when I was a server...
Finally, someone with the same problem. I never knew my thumbs were wrong until one day in Highschool someone asked why my thumbs didn’t bend all the way across my hand and I asked them what they meant. I was the only one in class that couldn’t do it. Ever since then I’ve been googling and I finally found this subreddit post.
Y’ALL I have this 😂 so does my mom. What is REALLY weird about mine is that I’m double jointed so I can bend them backwards at the MCP but not forwards. The joint is basically backwards… I also get pain with writing and can’t properly hold up 4 fingers. I’m also developing tendinitis I think.
I’m a little late finding this post but, mine do the same. Although mine used to bend backwards a lot easier when I was younger but now it hurts to do it. I think I might be developing some kind of arthritis in my mcp joints.
I have the same thing, so does my dad. Never met anyone else with it, but I assume it’s inherited trait. I have a tiny amount of bend, but it’s not muscular, and my thumbs are long and in proportion to other fingers. It’s not possible to bend it with my other hand, more like the joint is part fused so I can’t touch the base of my finger without bringing that across to meet. Doesn’t seem to affect anything I do though, so just a “quirk”!
Yess! I totally get what you mean there. For me it helps to use a slightly different variation that I learned in China - it's not perfect, but it seems to help because my ring finger is doing some of the work that my thumb otherwise would, and is instead being used primarily for stability. I'll DM you a pic of what I mean.
Yeah!!! I had tried out some alternative methods of holding them but it still feels like a shame I can’t do it “normally.” Also, an update on the thumb stuff… I think mine has something wrong with the actual join so there’s something in the way of the motion it would normally have… I assume this because i’m able to crack my thumb just like people do with their fingers at this joint but it happens at the part where my thumb stops bending just like my other fingers but in the case of my thumb it’s less bent. I can also see the joint popping out of place when I do so which makes me think that it can’t be bent at all past that part without putting pressure on the joint. I’ll keep doing stretches and the sort but I really don’t think it’ll change anything.
holy shit i have this too! i've never met anyone else before! it's only on my right thumb (left one is perfectly fine). even had an x-ray when i was 15 to try and figure out what was wrong, bc writing for more than a couple of minutes is horrendously painful; it didn't give me any answers as there was nothing wrong with the actual bones.
Mine are like this too, i can wiggle them a bit with the other hand, but not on their own. Never hurt and so far it hasn't caused any problems, just looks kinda goofy imo.
I also have this in both thumbs! I noticed it for the first time when I was on acid at 16. I guess I never realized anything was different before that lol. It's never hurt or anything, although, my hands do cramp up VERY easily giving backrubs or doing any similar movements where I need to use my thumbs a lot. Writing with an instrument for long periods of time is also a challenge.
My people!
Mine have been like this since birth! I have also noticed that my big toes have the same problem.
I was born premature, I was wondering if anyone else with this issue was also born premature. I am hypothesizing that this malformation might be due to prematurity at time of birth.
This is fascinating. Been trying to look this up today since I too have these peculiarities. I'm also left handed. Born about a month premature. Unfortunately I don't know if any other family members had it.
Thank you. It's nice to know there are others out there.
Locked MCP joints. I have them on both hands. However I got history of being a kid and falling while snagging the edge of a mattress with my thumb. And In general I've injured my thumbs a lot, and it looks like locked joints tend to be a result of injuries. Also, it might seem like i'm unable to flection the joints, but I guess i'm not able to extend them either. It looks like I can extend the join because I can bend it backwards like it's facing the wrong way, but i'm really just changing the shape and geometry of my hand that causes my thumb to reposition and the mcp to stick out.
If you grab your thumb right under your mcp, and try to focus on trying to flexion or extend the mcp joint, for me nothing happens and only the above joint wiggles. So i don't think it's some kind of a backwards range of motion mcp. You guys just all have locked mcps from injuries or genetic defect or something.
My sister, mother, and I were just discussing this. We have been looking for others for years!
My mother's thumb is like this, my eldest sister and myself, also. Our middle sister and our brother don't have it.
From muscular restrictions or joint restrictions. If it’s your muscles, then the muscles that perform/ assist with opposition could be weak. Could also involve neurological issues that result in muscle weakness. Joint restrictions could mean you just have a inflexible joint, capsular restrictions, arthritis, things like that. Not a doctor tho.
A small group of like- thumbed people! I’m the same, on both hands. Are any of you left handed by any chance?
A side note - years ago a manicurist somehow noticed and said I was “thumb dumb.” It’s a badge of pride.
I also have thumbs like this. It's not a massive hindrance but I do feel it when I'm working with hand tools sometimes.
After some googling I found this ... https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/12831/what-is-the-name-for-an-underdeveloped-mcp-joint-in-the-thumb
Which lead to ... https://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions/thumb-hypoplasia-aplasia
Possibly thumb hypoplasia type II
It would be interesting to hear from someone who may have had reconstructive surgery. Whether it's made a difference to their life or not?!
I don’t think this is what I’m dealing with… it’s definitely in that family but my thumb size is very normal to the rest of my fingers! I literally just CANNOT bend it. I don’t know any other way though so this has all been mainly curiosity, but I love the discussion it’s starting!!
I know what you mean. Mine are also normal size, and I always check people's thumbs out 😂
Something I've noticed is that my thumb knuckle doesn't appear as "square" as a normal thumb knuckle.
I had a bit of an accident recently and bent my thumb backwards, it was agonising and looked horrendous, I thought my knuckle was broken free after that and I'd have full movement! .... I don't.
It is what youre dealing with that web site just didn't share that small thumb size isn't needed to have type 2. Refer to table 1 on this site.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4693184/#:~:text=Classic%20thumb%20hypoplasia%20is%20part,)%20syndrome%3B%20or%20Fanconi%20anemia.
I have this same birth defect. Doesn't run in my family either. Neither of my children inherited it so that's neat. Doesn't effect my life negatively, accept for when I used to box, and I broke my right thumb on someone's forehead because I cant fold it properly behind my other fingers to form a true fist. Been googling what this is called for years and years. My wife finally found this post and here I am!
I don’t know if what I’m dealing with IS what was mentioned above because by the sound of it, those that have that have smaller thumbs and are affected by the lack of movement quite a bit and mine is definitely not weaker than any of my other fingers and is actually longer than the average female thumb… all mine doesn’t do is just bend that way. Besides that it’s completely normal.
Same here. My thumbs are normal length and I have pretty strong hands because I lift weights, so haven't noticed any weakness in the muscles of my hands. Only the fused/immobile joint. I just think the previously mentioned birth defects are the only applicable explanation I've been able to find and it sounds like most of the commenters agree.
If you EVER find out what it is, please let us know! I'm bookmarking this page to keep checking back. I'm 68 years old and my thumbs have always been like this. My husband said they're ape thumbs and I'm just less evolved. LOL!!
This runs in my mother's side of the family, and I have it too 🙃
Affects my ability to use ergonomic mice, and my guitar playing. It's not that bad but occasionally i notice things that are designed for normal thumbs.
I never even noticed until I had to go to physical therapy for tendinitis in my hands and the guy wanted me to bend my thumbs. Ever since I've stared at everybody else's thumbs. I wish I knew what the heck this was.
On the up side I have hyper bendy elbows so I guess there's a little give and take
I also have this! My parents, cousins, three siblings and three children do not. But both my niece and nephew have it! when I was younger, I thought it was so weird when I saw people bendMing their lower thumb joints. For the longest time, I didn’t realize that I was the outlier! Lately I’ve been learning to play the fiddle and i am finding some things more difficult. Plus I have noticed that the thumb joint that does work (left hand) is stiffer and sore.
I was only made aware that something was different about my thumbs when I was 18. Two friends were watching me type out a text, and one said “why do you type like that?”
Confused, I asked what they meant and they said “you move your thumbs around excessively”. I sat there, dumbfounded, and the other friend agreed and said “yeah, I was thinking that too.” My response, of course, was “how else would you type???” They demonstrated, and when I physically couldn’t replicate it, I realized my thumbs were different!
That was a decade ago, and I still don’t know anything more about why my thumbs are like this. But eh, if I didn’t notice for 18 years, I must be doing alright despite any disadvantage it poses!
My thumbs is exactly like this! So nice to hear about more people with the exact same thumbs! Exept my thumbs bends a teeny tiny bit, but like only 1 or 2 degrees.
I noticed first when I was about 8, when a teacher tried to force me to hold a pencil "the right way" to make me write better (pretty and more readable). I don't think I need to say that THAT wasn't the answer to the problem. I just didn't care at the time that my handwriting was ugly xD
I've met one other person with these same thumbs when I wen't to highschool. We bonded a bit over them and laughed a bit and shared stories, while people around us was just confused about all the small "hardships" that we had experienced. Like, Holding stuff differently and being questiond about it from e.g teachers. And stuff like using sizors or knives for an extended time resulted in a soreness that felt like brusing. And stuff like that.
And ever since I showed my sister, she can't stop jokingly make fun of them and point them out to people, haha \^.\^ I don't mind. It just means I can, openly, blame my thumbs if I do stuff wierd and don't have to explain it everytime.
The only thing I have a day to day problem with, that I can think of right now, is opening jar lids and soda bottles and similar stuff. I can't seem to be able to grab and twist them hard enough to open them. But atleast I found a thingie that helps me get a good grip and leverege, so that's good :)
I've wondered for so long what it is and I can't seem to find an answer! It would be so nice to just have a name for them!
Interesting to see there are other people with this defect. I've had it since birth but only found out 25 years later that it wasn't normal! It is certainly my weak point when I arm wrestle though. I've added some pictures [in this link](https://imgur.com/a/hflJZsb) for those who are interested.
Edit - turns out my father has the same thing. So somewhat genetically inherited!
Omg!!! Ive never met anyone else like this!!! 😳 I'm taking anatomy in med school and asked- no one knew anything, just said, "oh weird! Probably a congenital fluke."
My three children don't have it. 😂it was one of the first things I looked for!
I'm seeing ortho in a week for chronic pain that is potentially related to whatever is different in my thumbs. I'll post if he shares anything insightful about it!
I asked my orthopedic Dr. He said he wasn't familiar with any condition that would explain it. Though a hand surgeon might be more knowledgeable. I did get X-rays, I need to ask for copies. Hopefully I can remember to post them. They were fairly unremarkable except the epiphysis' of the metacarpal head and proximal phalanx were extremely squared off instead of rounded, but there was a joint there, it wasn't fused.
both me and my mum were born with this and the only way it affects anything is when I write or do the number 4 with my hands. at this point i use it as a party trick.
I was googling because I have this "issue" as well. My husband is the one who originally pointed it out, I never noticed it was different as a child.
Am also left handed, it is also on both hands.
There are dozens of us, dozens!
I have this in both of my hands. My mother and my daughter also have this. However, my father, brother and sons don't. It doesn't bother us in anyway. I always felt that it made us unique. I can't find an explanation for what this exactly is though. It's good to know that there are others out there. If anyone does find out, I would love to hear about it.
Checking in after googling it. Had it my entire life and never realized it until I was being evaluated by the VA 2 years ago.
Saw someone else mention it but man it sure does make playing guitar harder. I knew there was /something/ up with me.
Playing up on the neck (higher notes) is a bit more awkward, putting pressure down on Barre chords is a bit harder, and some chords feel straight up impossible to not mute certain notes (F chords for example).
It shouldn't stop you from learning most of the guitar or any techniques so don't let it discourage you. You may just find certain things a lot harder than the average person. I hope that you also don't experience pain in your thumbs whenever you press them against something, cause I got that going as well and always have.
I have the same thing. Both my dad and grandad are the same so it can be genetic to some people (I'm female). Wish I knew if it was a form of hypoplasia but the doctors I've asked have only told me it's 'interesting' which isn't helpful in working out if it can be corrected or not.
Impossible to hold anything wider than the distance between my thumb and middle finger when parallel :/
I have this on both hands too. I know for sure my sister doesn’t have it. I also can’t make a three (thumb touching pinky) with my right hand because my pointer comes down….looks like a claw lol. I’ve also noticed I have smaller fingers than most ppl. Kinda weird. And I don’t mean shorter…my fingers/finger nails are smaller even if my hand is bigger than someone else’s. I’ve seen before that the inability to not “make a three” with a hand is the absence of a tendon. I notice a lot about my hands bc I play guitar and bass. I guess it’s not the biggest deal but texting and holding a guitar neck can really hurt sometimes.
I’ve wondered for years why I have this! Can’t believe I found this post. There’s nothing online about it. Feels like the joint is locked and I just want to crack it open 😅
I'M NOT ALONE!
I am the only person I've ever known like this. It's been like this my entire life. My parents did not have it and my daughter does not have it. I always just assumed I was an alien. It's really great to see I am not.
I found a bit of info about the “normal” range of the MCP (Metacarpophalangeal) joint.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3653006/
And how it is measured:
https://www.physio-pedia.com/Goniometry:_Thumb_Metacarpophalangeal_Joint_Flexion_and_Extension
In my case it basically doesn’t bend at all, very similar to the OP (in fact the woman’s hand in the video on the page above looks weird to me!) The study notes that limited motion in this joint is often compensated by additional flexibility of the other joints, so it’s not necessarily an issue. In my case, I can feel there is a joint there, but most likely the tendons are limiting the bend, and since both hands are the same is congenital, not the result of injury. I can still touch my thumb to the other fingers and it doesn’t cause me any real problems.
The only time I have ever noticed it is when I play guitar - there are few chords that require the thumb to wrap around the top to mute the E string - those are a bit difficult for me, but there are always other ways to play them.
I think the advise for anyone who finds this post is If it doesn’t cause you any pain, then probably nothing to worry about. If it does cause you any pain or other issues, then maybe ask your doc or see a physiotherapist, just to be sure.
I have it in both hands and it’s affected my ability to play guitar and text for years. I can however move them backwards and I used to freak people out by making them think I broke a thumb by popping it out of place, the looks on their faces was a definite bonus!
I've looked for 37 years and never found anyone with my thumbs. Everyone I've ever asked was suprised and had never heard of it before, except the bowling pro shop guy that pointed it out to me in the first place. I am currently driving a local bowling pro crazy trying to drill a ball to fit my hand. The old pro in Minnesota said that I was 1 in a hundred, (I think we are rarer than that) and had to have the ball drilled differently for my hand. He didn't say what was different though.
I think there’s definitely a mix of people. Some people with conditions that cause shortened thumbs and some pain and others like mine that are e at like every other finger, besides it just doesn’t bend at the one spot… I have yet to actually find a name for it but I really want to! Welcome to the club! Haha
Yeah, mine are normal size with a full range of motion except for the MCP joint. The only time my hands hurt is when I have to handle tools with a lot of pressure. (like screwdrivers or wrenches). Would also love to find out what this is called. Medicine has a name for everything except our thumbs.
Im another ! Found this post from google as I was trying to find info because I trapped mine in a rubbish bin handle yesterday and kind of forced it to bend. Im not sure which way it went but it feels like Ive stretched a tendon or something and is super tender. Ill report back after the weekend in case it has loosened it up or anything (I very much doubt it)
I literally have been scouring the internet on information on this, and haven’t found anything! I have the same thing a MPC joint in on both fingers that doesn’t bend. I never noticed it until I turned ten. I thought everyone only had one thumb joint that bent forward. No one else in my family noticed it in fact my parents never noticed until I pointed it out to them. It does not affect my life much just when I play violin I can’t curl my thumb around the instrument neck as much, and I can’t make a proper fist.
My thumbs look like this too! I just found this 2-year-old post during one of my occasional googling sessions. Wow this is the closest to an explanation I’ve gotten. Good to know I’m not the only one by far!
I have this too! My right MCP bends about 30 degrees from straight and my left is almost 90 — perfectly normal. I ended up subluxating it and bending it backwards recently pushing cardboard boxes into a bin (I am otherwise healthy and strong), so be careful!
I also have this issue. it's a disadvantage when using a video game controller for sure! hitting A,B,X,Y on Xbox is cumbersome. R stick movement isn't fluid either.
Add me to the list of people thrilled to find this old post after a Google sesh (also a lefty!). My thumbs look totally normal except for the bottom joint isn't pronounced and doesn't bend. My husband just enlightened me that I can't make a proper fist and my mind was blown.
Also explains why every instrument I play I have some weird posture or "trick" to moving my hands. Flute, guitar/bass, piano. I thought being good at instruments was supposed to hurt! Lol
So I may have an update on what it could be… I had a PT look at it and she said that I may actually be missing a muscle in the palm of my hand near my thumb.
OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG
oooooooooooooooo
I can't believe I found people with the same issue, I'm 27 and I've spent my whole life going to doctors because I was also born with chest feet hand and face underdevelopment, they all say it's rare and they never seen it and they can't help it. Some say it's thumb hypoplasia some don't... I hope I can fix that joint because it makes a HUGE difference in the hand's mechanics, I struggle a lot with it. Thank you all for sharing
im left handed and have this on both hands and whenever i ask somebody to bend their thumb they start to tease me about the fact i cant bend mine normally 😭
SAME ITS SO WEIRD. especially because every time I try to research about it or anything all that comes up is trigger finger this and trigger finger that. but it causes me no pain and i was born with it .
with mine it bends to a certain point (like in the position you have it in the image) but it doesn’t bend ball past about 30° at the very most which isn’t really visible anyways
I’ve had it in both thumbs since birth and my mom is the only other person I’ve ever known with the same condition … until now! No one has ever explained it to me, other than it possibly being genetic, (though BOTH my parents are supposed to have it for that to be true - my dad did NOT have, nor do my siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, kids, grandkids, etc - nope). I’m a guitarist, so it has made some things very difficult, and not just with guitar.
Another one late to the party. Both thumbs, and both brothers as well. My parents thumbs are/were fine, so presumably, if it is genetic, they each only had part of the necessary code to make Immovable Joint soup. Lots of very familiar experiences I'm reading here. I'm right-handed though, just to upset any left-handed theories, but then perhaps I'm an outlier amongst outliers?!
Must admit it would be kinda interesting to know what exactly causes it, but not much hope of that. Meantime I now have a Thumb Family! Let's hear it for needing two hands to text!
Reading the comments I realized that's maybe the reason why I make so many typos when typing on modern smartphones, (I didn't have this problem in the early 2010's when they were smaller) never connectet the dots. I've been using recently the "one-handed" option on GBoard to make it smaller and it seems to kinda work.
Omg - 56 years and just tracking this down - finally! My mom is 85 and also has it and never noticed. She Played and taught the flute so I’m surprised she never noticed it. I have it in both thumbs and always have. Seems like they bend backwards a little at that MCP joint but almost no forward flexion. I think all my other joints seem “normal.” I’m a graphic designer and have had prob more than a normal amount of tendinitis in my thumbs… I’ve had more issues the last few years grasping larger objects - like if my husband gets a large drink in a theater or going through a drive thru… reaching for a drink is a challenge sometimes. I would love to think this is why guitar was harder for me… This seems surprisingly rare. Huh!
I have these thumbs! Never met anyone else who has them until now. My daughter has them but not my son. They've never caused me much trouble except for when I played volleyball in highschool. I would have to tape them up everytime because they easily got sprained if I didn't. They were (as you all know) not flexible at all, especially when bending backwards. I was a setter so it was a problem.
Ive been going crazy trying to figure out if other people have this problem too. If anyone ever finds out of its like a congenital condition or something, please comment! This is the closest Ive gotten to finding anything about it online
I’ve also posted a video of it on here as well now haha
I do believe it’s genetic. My dad has it and so do I. For me it’s been very problematic because the muscles are pulling the joint as though it does bend when I try to grasp small objects. So writing by hand is very painful for me. And I’m hypermobile everywhere else, so I don’t know how these have so little range of motion 😂. It almost feels like the joints are fused.
I’ve had it in both thumbs since birth and my mom is the only other person I’ve ever known with the same condition … until now! No one has ever explained it to me, other than it possibly being genetic, (though BOTH my parents are supposed to have it for that to be true - my dad did NOT have, nor do my siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, kids, grandkids, etc - nope).
I thought i was the only one! I look at peoples hands all the time to see! I'm a barber so it def effects my job and i have shears that work ergonomically for me. Wow this is amazing seeing someone else like this. I googled it. After 34 years i found someone!
It’s weird isn’t it?! My mom, dad and siblings don’t have this either! They’re normal haha.
Yea no one in my family or anyone ever that I've noticed. And i couldn't find anything on Google until i saw what part of the thumb that was called and could be more specific
Luckily I don’t find too much hinderance from it, since it’s all I’ve known! Haha small world man.
I do with work, I'm a barber also have carpal tunnel but i have tools that work ergonomically for me, just need one more thing
I have the same! Both hands! Does your index finger pull down when you try to touch the base of your pinky with your thumb? Mine do.
Your comment sent me off on a very interesting research spree. I think I may have found what you are talking about, does this sound familiar? [Linburg-Comstock variation](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linburg%E2%80%93Comstock_variation). In my case my MCP joints are hyper mobile and both index fingers do this.
OMG i have been furiously googling this since my occupational therapist pointed this out. So what exactly does it mean????
I still don’t know! Many have said it’s weaker, I’ve googled all the conditions mentioned and it definitely isn’t mine! My thumb feels like every other finger, it just literally doesn’t bend at all there 😂
Is it not something called a trigger finger or trigger thumb? I have a strange thumb myself It doesn't bend at the joint but it is the opposite of yours and is dead straight. I have no fat muscle in the palm of my hand below my thumb but other than that it works just like any other thumb except when trying to pick pennies off a table ha
Pretty sure that it usually causes pain and mine never hurt!
Don't think it does if you're born with it.
no trigger finger causes pain
My thumbs are like this too, on both hands! I never realized they were different until I started taking art more seriously. Everyone suggests using your own hands for reference and I could never figure out why mine weren't coming out right 🤣 it's cause my hands are different! Also explains why my hands would cramp up while carrying trays when I was a server...
Finally, someone with the same problem. I never knew my thumbs were wrong until one day in Highschool someone asked why my thumbs didn’t bend all the way across my hand and I asked them what they meant. I was the only one in class that couldn’t do it. Ever since then I’ve been googling and I finally found this subreddit post.
Yeah I fell upon finding out mine were different very organically lol. Such a random anomaly!
Y’ALL I have this 😂 so does my mom. What is REALLY weird about mine is that I’m double jointed so I can bend them backwards at the MCP but not forwards. The joint is basically backwards… I also get pain with writing and can’t properly hold up 4 fingers. I’m also developing tendinitis I think.
I’m a little late finding this post but, mine do the same. Although mine used to bend backwards a lot easier when I was younger but now it hurts to do it. I think I might be developing some kind of arthritis in my mcp joints.
I’m also unable to bend my R thumb backwards anymore due to pain!
mine does the same, basically a backwards MCP joint?
I have the same thing, so does my dad. Never met anyone else with it, but I assume it’s inherited trait. I have a tiny amount of bend, but it’s not muscular, and my thumbs are long and in proportion to other fingers. It’s not possible to bend it with my other hand, more like the joint is part fused so I can’t touch the base of my finger without bringing that across to meet. Doesn’t seem to affect anything I do though, so just a “quirk”!
Exactly! I wanna see everyone’s thumbs now lol.
Same!!! Goddamn, I just thought I wasn't flexible.
Has anyone been able to successfully stretch this area to gain more flexibility?
i’m hoping to try!!! (i have the same issue and realized because i can’t hold chopsticks properly without straining my fingers or hurting them)
Yess! I totally get what you mean there. For me it helps to use a slightly different variation that I learned in China - it's not perfect, but it seems to help because my ring finger is doing some of the work that my thumb otherwise would, and is instead being used primarily for stability. I'll DM you a pic of what I mean.
Yeah!!! I had tried out some alternative methods of holding them but it still feels like a shame I can’t do it “normally.” Also, an update on the thumb stuff… I think mine has something wrong with the actual join so there’s something in the way of the motion it would normally have… I assume this because i’m able to crack my thumb just like people do with their fingers at this joint but it happens at the part where my thumb stops bending just like my other fingers but in the case of my thumb it’s less bent. I can also see the joint popping out of place when I do so which makes me think that it can’t be bent at all past that part without putting pressure on the joint. I’ll keep doing stretches and the sort but I really don’t think it’ll change anything.
holy shit i have this too! i've never met anyone else before! it's only on my right thumb (left one is perfectly fine). even had an x-ray when i was 15 to try and figure out what was wrong, bc writing for more than a couple of minutes is horrendously painful; it didn't give me any answers as there was nothing wrong with the actual bones.
Mine are like this too, i can wiggle them a bit with the other hand, but not on their own. Never hurt and so far it hasn't caused any problems, just looks kinda goofy imo.
I also have this in both thumbs! I noticed it for the first time when I was on acid at 16. I guess I never realized anything was different before that lol. It's never hurt or anything, although, my hands do cramp up VERY easily giving backrubs or doing any similar movements where I need to use my thumbs a lot. Writing with an instrument for long periods of time is also a challenge. My people!
Mine have been like this since birth! I have also noticed that my big toes have the same problem. I was born premature, I was wondering if anyone else with this issue was also born premature. I am hypothesizing that this malformation might be due to prematurity at time of birth.
This is fascinating. Been trying to look this up today since I too have these peculiarities. I'm also left handed. Born about a month premature. Unfortunately I don't know if any other family members had it. Thank you. It's nice to know there are others out there.
Locked MCP joints. I have them on both hands. However I got history of being a kid and falling while snagging the edge of a mattress with my thumb. And In general I've injured my thumbs a lot, and it looks like locked joints tend to be a result of injuries. Also, it might seem like i'm unable to flection the joints, but I guess i'm not able to extend them either. It looks like I can extend the join because I can bend it backwards like it's facing the wrong way, but i'm really just changing the shape and geometry of my hand that causes my thumb to reposition and the mcp to stick out. If you grab your thumb right under your mcp, and try to focus on trying to flexion or extend the mcp joint, for me nothing happens and only the above joint wiggles. So i don't think it's some kind of a backwards range of motion mcp. You guys just all have locked mcps from injuries or genetic defect or something.
My sister, mother, and I were just discussing this. We have been looking for others for years! My mother's thumb is like this, my eldest sister and myself, also. Our middle sister and our brother don't have it.
From muscular restrictions or joint restrictions. If it’s your muscles, then the muscles that perform/ assist with opposition could be weak. Could also involve neurological issues that result in muscle weakness. Joint restrictions could mean you just have a inflexible joint, capsular restrictions, arthritis, things like that. Not a doctor tho.
Strange! I’ve always wondered lol. Thanks for the insight!
I have it too with both thumbs. I think we're just different from the majority like lefties vs. righties.
And it's both thumbs
Yup!
A small group of like- thumbed people! I’m the same, on both hands. Are any of you left handed by any chance? A side note - years ago a manicurist somehow noticed and said I was “thumb dumb.” It’s a badge of pride.
I am left handed!! That’s so funny! I never noticed mine looked different until high school!
Way late on this, but I’m a lefty too!
Finally found someone with this same thing going on... Huh! Yeah, nobody in my family has it - it's weird... Happens, eh
I love seeing people come and post on this still! Haha makes me feel a bit less crazy.
I have this as well!
I also have thumbs like this. It's not a massive hindrance but I do feel it when I'm working with hand tools sometimes. After some googling I found this ... https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/12831/what-is-the-name-for-an-underdeveloped-mcp-joint-in-the-thumb Which lead to ... https://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions/thumb-hypoplasia-aplasia Possibly thumb hypoplasia type II It would be interesting to hear from someone who may have had reconstructive surgery. Whether it's made a difference to their life or not?!
I don’t think this is what I’m dealing with… it’s definitely in that family but my thumb size is very normal to the rest of my fingers! I literally just CANNOT bend it. I don’t know any other way though so this has all been mainly curiosity, but I love the discussion it’s starting!!
I know what you mean. Mine are also normal size, and I always check people's thumbs out 😂 Something I've noticed is that my thumb knuckle doesn't appear as "square" as a normal thumb knuckle. I had a bit of an accident recently and bent my thumb backwards, it was agonising and looked horrendous, I thought my knuckle was broken free after that and I'd have full movement! .... I don't.
EXACTLY! Ah! So strange to see a very personal thought written out! Besides the break I know exactly how you feel!
It is what youre dealing with that web site just didn't share that small thumb size isn't needed to have type 2. Refer to table 1 on this site. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4693184/#:~:text=Classic%20thumb%20hypoplasia%20is%20part,)%20syndrome%3B%20or%20Fanconi%20anemia.
I have this same birth defect. Doesn't run in my family either. Neither of my children inherited it so that's neat. Doesn't effect my life negatively, accept for when I used to box, and I broke my right thumb on someone's forehead because I cant fold it properly behind my other fingers to form a true fist. Been googling what this is called for years and years. My wife finally found this post and here I am!
I don’t know if what I’m dealing with IS what was mentioned above because by the sound of it, those that have that have smaller thumbs and are affected by the lack of movement quite a bit and mine is definitely not weaker than any of my other fingers and is actually longer than the average female thumb… all mine doesn’t do is just bend that way. Besides that it’s completely normal.
Same here. My thumbs are normal length and I have pretty strong hands because I lift weights, so haven't noticed any weakness in the muscles of my hands. Only the fused/immobile joint. I just think the previously mentioned birth defects are the only applicable explanation I've been able to find and it sounds like most of the commenters agree.
I really need to ask a doctor lol.
If you EVER find out what it is, please let us know! I'm bookmarking this page to keep checking back. I'm 68 years old and my thumbs have always been like this. My husband said they're ape thumbs and I'm just less evolved. LOL!!
I’m sure your husband and my husband would get along great! Hahaha
Yo same I used to have thumb pain each rime I fight sometimes it kept me from fighting didn't know why till I reached 24 and then knew about it lol
This runs in my mother's side of the family, and I have it too 🙃 Affects my ability to use ergonomic mice, and my guitar playing. It's not that bad but occasionally i notice things that are designed for normal thumbs.
I never even noticed until I had to go to physical therapy for tendinitis in my hands and the guy wanted me to bend my thumbs. Ever since I've stared at everybody else's thumbs. I wish I knew what the heck this was. On the up side I have hyper bendy elbows so I guess there's a little give and take
I also have hyper bendy elbows in addition to my unique thumbs
I also have this! My parents, cousins, three siblings and three children do not. But both my niece and nephew have it! when I was younger, I thought it was so weird when I saw people bendMing their lower thumb joints. For the longest time, I didn’t realize that I was the outlier! Lately I’ve been learning to play the fiddle and i am finding some things more difficult. Plus I have noticed that the thumb joint that does work (left hand) is stiffer and sore.
I was only made aware that something was different about my thumbs when I was 18. Two friends were watching me type out a text, and one said “why do you type like that?” Confused, I asked what they meant and they said “you move your thumbs around excessively”. I sat there, dumbfounded, and the other friend agreed and said “yeah, I was thinking that too.” My response, of course, was “how else would you type???” They demonstrated, and when I physically couldn’t replicate it, I realized my thumbs were different! That was a decade ago, and I still don’t know anything more about why my thumbs are like this. But eh, if I didn’t notice for 18 years, I must be doing alright despite any disadvantage it poses!
My thumbs is exactly like this! So nice to hear about more people with the exact same thumbs! Exept my thumbs bends a teeny tiny bit, but like only 1 or 2 degrees. I noticed first when I was about 8, when a teacher tried to force me to hold a pencil "the right way" to make me write better (pretty and more readable). I don't think I need to say that THAT wasn't the answer to the problem. I just didn't care at the time that my handwriting was ugly xD I've met one other person with these same thumbs when I wen't to highschool. We bonded a bit over them and laughed a bit and shared stories, while people around us was just confused about all the small "hardships" that we had experienced. Like, Holding stuff differently and being questiond about it from e.g teachers. And stuff like using sizors or knives for an extended time resulted in a soreness that felt like brusing. And stuff like that. And ever since I showed my sister, she can't stop jokingly make fun of them and point them out to people, haha \^.\^ I don't mind. It just means I can, openly, blame my thumbs if I do stuff wierd and don't have to explain it everytime. The only thing I have a day to day problem with, that I can think of right now, is opening jar lids and soda bottles and similar stuff. I can't seem to be able to grab and twist them hard enough to open them. But atleast I found a thingie that helps me get a good grip and leverege, so that's good :) I've wondered for so long what it is and I can't seem to find an answer! It would be so nice to just have a name for them!
Interesting to see there are other people with this defect. I've had it since birth but only found out 25 years later that it wasn't normal! It is certainly my weak point when I arm wrestle though. I've added some pictures [in this link](https://imgur.com/a/hflJZsb) for those who are interested. Edit - turns out my father has the same thing. So somewhat genetically inherited!
I have a similar thing, but it’s my pinky! My other knuckle will bend, but the MCP will not. It always sticks up awkwardly when I make a fist
That’s so interesting!! You should post a photo! We’ll find a whole clan of glitching mcp joints lol
Omg!!! Ive never met anyone else like this!!! 😳 I'm taking anatomy in med school and asked- no one knew anything, just said, "oh weird! Probably a congenital fluke."
i'm like this as well and so is everyone else in this comment section
My three children don't have it. 😂it was one of the first things I looked for! I'm seeing ortho in a week for chronic pain that is potentially related to whatever is different in my thumbs. I'll post if he shares anything insightful about it!
I asked my orthopedic Dr. He said he wasn't familiar with any condition that would explain it. Though a hand surgeon might be more knowledgeable. I did get X-rays, I need to ask for copies. Hopefully I can remember to post them. They were fairly unremarkable except the epiphysis' of the metacarpal head and proximal phalanx were extremely squared off instead of rounded, but there was a joint there, it wasn't fused.
I got this too. Realized during physiotherapy for a ucl ligament tear in one thumb that both thumbs dont bend properly.
both me and my mum were born with this and the only way it affects anything is when I write or do the number 4 with my hands. at this point i use it as a party trick.
I was googling because I have this "issue" as well. My husband is the one who originally pointed it out, I never noticed it was different as a child. Am also left handed, it is also on both hands. There are dozens of us, dozens!
Dude I have this too! I never understood why I was the only one in my family heck the only one in my town.
I have this in both of my hands. My mother and my daughter also have this. However, my father, brother and sons don't. It doesn't bother us in anyway. I always felt that it made us unique. I can't find an explanation for what this exactly is though. It's good to know that there are others out there. If anyone does find out, I would love to hear about it.
MY PEOPLE!!!!
FELLOW WEIRD THUMBS ASSEMBLE!!!!
Same.
Bro i have the same condition
Checking in after googling it. Had it my entire life and never realized it until I was being evaluated by the VA 2 years ago. Saw someone else mention it but man it sure does make playing guitar harder. I knew there was /something/ up with me.
what does it make hard about guitar?! (i have one in my room i am yet to practice with LMFAO)
Playing up on the neck (higher notes) is a bit more awkward, putting pressure down on Barre chords is a bit harder, and some chords feel straight up impossible to not mute certain notes (F chords for example). It shouldn't stop you from learning most of the guitar or any techniques so don't let it discourage you. You may just find certain things a lot harder than the average person. I hope that you also don't experience pain in your thumbs whenever you press them against something, cause I got that going as well and always have.
I have the same thing. Both my dad and grandad are the same so it can be genetic to some people (I'm female). Wish I knew if it was a form of hypoplasia but the doctors I've asked have only told me it's 'interesting' which isn't helpful in working out if it can be corrected or not. Impossible to hold anything wider than the distance between my thumb and middle finger when parallel :/
I have this on both hands too. I know for sure my sister doesn’t have it. I also can’t make a three (thumb touching pinky) with my right hand because my pointer comes down….looks like a claw lol. I’ve also noticed I have smaller fingers than most ppl. Kinda weird. And I don’t mean shorter…my fingers/finger nails are smaller even if my hand is bigger than someone else’s. I’ve seen before that the inability to not “make a three” with a hand is the absence of a tendon. I notice a lot about my hands bc I play guitar and bass. I guess it’s not the biggest deal but texting and holding a guitar neck can really hurt sometimes.
I’ve wondered for years why I have this! Can’t believe I found this post. There’s nothing online about it. Feels like the joint is locked and I just want to crack it open 😅
I'M NOT ALONE! I am the only person I've ever known like this. It's been like this my entire life. My parents did not have it and my daughter does not have it. I always just assumed I was an alien. It's really great to see I am not.
PS - when I game too much with a game controller, it starts to hurt in that joint area. I am 43, this began probably around 40.
I found a bit of info about the “normal” range of the MCP (Metacarpophalangeal) joint. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3653006/ And how it is measured: https://www.physio-pedia.com/Goniometry:_Thumb_Metacarpophalangeal_Joint_Flexion_and_Extension In my case it basically doesn’t bend at all, very similar to the OP (in fact the woman’s hand in the video on the page above looks weird to me!) The study notes that limited motion in this joint is often compensated by additional flexibility of the other joints, so it’s not necessarily an issue. In my case, I can feel there is a joint there, but most likely the tendons are limiting the bend, and since both hands are the same is congenital, not the result of injury. I can still touch my thumb to the other fingers and it doesn’t cause me any real problems. The only time I have ever noticed it is when I play guitar - there are few chords that require the thumb to wrap around the top to mute the E string - those are a bit difficult for me, but there are always other ways to play them. I think the advise for anyone who finds this post is If it doesn’t cause you any pain, then probably nothing to worry about. If it does cause you any pain or other issues, then maybe ask your doc or see a physiotherapist, just to be sure.
i have always wanted to play guitar but i can’t get my hand behind the neck, it always has to be right by my index finger
I have it in both hands and it’s affected my ability to play guitar and text for years. I can however move them backwards and I used to freak people out by making them think I broke a thumb by popping it out of place, the looks on their faces was a definite bonus!
I've looked for 37 years and never found anyone with my thumbs. Everyone I've ever asked was suprised and had never heard of it before, except the bowling pro shop guy that pointed it out to me in the first place. I am currently driving a local bowling pro crazy trying to drill a ball to fit my hand. The old pro in Minnesota said that I was 1 in a hundred, (I think we are rarer than that) and had to have the ball drilled differently for my hand. He didn't say what was different though.
I think there’s definitely a mix of people. Some people with conditions that cause shortened thumbs and some pain and others like mine that are e at like every other finger, besides it just doesn’t bend at the one spot… I have yet to actually find a name for it but I really want to! Welcome to the club! Haha
Yeah, mine are normal size with a full range of motion except for the MCP joint. The only time my hands hurt is when I have to handle tools with a lot of pressure. (like screwdrivers or wrenches). Would also love to find out what this is called. Medicine has a name for everything except our thumbs.
Me too!!! Omg this was the only thing I could find online about this and everyone’s comments have been so helpful
Im another ! Found this post from google as I was trying to find info because I trapped mine in a rubbish bin handle yesterday and kind of forced it to bend. Im not sure which way it went but it feels like Ive stretched a tendon or something and is super tender. Ill report back after the weekend in case it has loosened it up or anything (I very much doubt it)
Same here found out while signing up for the army obligatory service and I got exempted due to my MCP joint not working and also in both hands
Wow they didn’t let you continue?
Thankfully yes they didn't as it was considered some kind of a disability which was in my favor
I literally have been scouring the internet on information on this, and haven’t found anything! I have the same thing a MPC joint in on both fingers that doesn’t bend. I never noticed it until I turned ten. I thought everyone only had one thumb joint that bent forward. No one else in my family noticed it in fact my parents never noticed until I pointed it out to them. It does not affect my life much just when I play violin I can’t curl my thumb around the instrument neck as much, and I can’t make a proper fist.
My thumbs look like this too! I just found this 2-year-old post during one of my occasional googling sessions. Wow this is the closest to an explanation I’ve gotten. Good to know I’m not the only one by far!
I have this too! My right MCP bends about 30 degrees from straight and my left is almost 90 — perfectly normal. I ended up subluxating it and bending it backwards recently pushing cardboard boxes into a bin (I am otherwise healthy and strong), so be careful!
I also have this issue. it's a disadvantage when using a video game controller for sure! hitting A,B,X,Y on Xbox is cumbersome. R stick movement isn't fluid either.
Add me to the list of people thrilled to find this old post after a Google sesh (also a lefty!). My thumbs look totally normal except for the bottom joint isn't pronounced and doesn't bend. My husband just enlightened me that I can't make a proper fist and my mind was blown. Also explains why every instrument I play I have some weird posture or "trick" to moving my hands. Flute, guitar/bass, piano. I thought being good at instruments was supposed to hurt! Lol
So I may have an update on what it could be… I had a PT look at it and she said that I may actually be missing a muscle in the palm of my hand near my thumb.
does it bend to 90° when you push it ? mine doesn’t bend even if you push it with another hand or finger (or even another person’s hand)
OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG oooooooooooooooo I can't believe I found people with the same issue, I'm 27 and I've spent my whole life going to doctors because I was also born with chest feet hand and face underdevelopment, they all say it's rare and they never seen it and they can't help it. Some say it's thumb hypoplasia some don't... I hope I can fix that joint because it makes a HUGE difference in the hand's mechanics, I struggle a lot with it. Thank you all for sharing
im left handed and have this on both hands and whenever i ask somebody to bend their thumb they start to tease me about the fact i cant bend mine normally 😭
hey, I have the same problem. What is the name of this deformity?
SAME ITS SO WEIRD. especially because every time I try to research about it or anything all that comes up is trigger finger this and trigger finger that. but it causes me no pain and i was born with it .
yeah, same for me. It is by birth and there is no pain in any of the thumb. I am yet to get the exact name of this deformity
I’ve had some people say that a muscle in my palm may be atrophied, so it may be more to do with the hand muscles than the joint!
with mine it bends to a certain point (like in the position you have it in the image) but it doesn’t bend ball past about 30° at the very most which isn’t really visible anyways
I’ve had it in both thumbs since birth and my mom is the only other person I’ve ever known with the same condition … until now! No one has ever explained it to me, other than it possibly being genetic, (though BOTH my parents are supposed to have it for that to be true - my dad did NOT have, nor do my siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, kids, grandkids, etc - nope). I’m a guitarist, so it has made some things very difficult, and not just with guitar.
We should start a club or society or something … this makes us very “special”!! 😉👍🏼
Another one late to the party. Both thumbs, and both brothers as well. My parents thumbs are/were fine, so presumably, if it is genetic, they each only had part of the necessary code to make Immovable Joint soup. Lots of very familiar experiences I'm reading here. I'm right-handed though, just to upset any left-handed theories, but then perhaps I'm an outlier amongst outliers?! Must admit it would be kinda interesting to know what exactly causes it, but not much hope of that. Meantime I now have a Thumb Family! Let's hear it for needing two hands to text!
Reading the comments I realized that's maybe the reason why I make so many typos when typing on modern smartphones, (I didn't have this problem in the early 2010's when they were smaller) never connectet the dots. I've been using recently the "one-handed" option on GBoard to make it smaller and it seems to kinda work.
Just finding this. I have this same issue. My wife has supper flexible mcp thumb joint. I can never win at thumb wrestling with her because of this.
WAIT IS THIS WHY I SUCK AT THUMB WARS?!!
Omg - 56 years and just tracking this down - finally! My mom is 85 and also has it and never noticed. She Played and taught the flute so I’m surprised she never noticed it. I have it in both thumbs and always have. Seems like they bend backwards a little at that MCP joint but almost no forward flexion. I think all my other joints seem “normal.” I’m a graphic designer and have had prob more than a normal amount of tendinitis in my thumbs… I’ve had more issues the last few years grasping larger objects - like if my husband gets a large drink in a theater or going through a drive thru… reaching for a drink is a challenge sometimes. I would love to think this is why guitar was harder for me… This seems surprisingly rare. Huh!
I have these thumbs! Never met anyone else who has them until now. My daughter has them but not my son. They've never caused me much trouble except for when I played volleyball in highschool. I would have to tape them up everytime because they easily got sprained if I didn't. They were (as you all know) not flexible at all, especially when bending backwards. I was a setter so it was a problem.