The phalanges are bones that form the skeleton of the fingers in the hands and feet. They are shorter than the metacarpal bones, and their heads appear less rounded. Instead, they are trochlear-shaped. Also, phalanges appear flattened anteroposteriorly.

The dorsal aspects of the phalanges are rounded and smooth, while the palmar aspects are more flat and roughened. The palmar aspects of the phalangeal bodies present raised ridges that mark attachment sites for the flexor sheaths.

Each hand is composed of 14 phalanges, and each finger has three phalanges, except for the thumb (pollux), which has two. According to their location, the phalanges can be grouped into three groups:

Proximal phalanges - largest phalanges that articulate with the metacarpal bones;
Intermediate (middle) phalanges - middle phalanges that are found between the proximal and distal phalanges;
Distal phalanges - smallest phalanges that have roughened areas at their distal tips (heads).

The three phalanges of each finger (or two in the case of the thumb) articulate with each other, forming the interphalangeal joints. The proximal interphalangeal joints are formed between the proximal and middle phalanges, while the distal interphalangeal joints are found between the middle and distal phalanges. The interphalangeal joint of the thumb links the proximal phalanx with the distal phalanx. And finally, the proximal phalanges also connect with their respective metacarpal bones at the metacarpophalangeal joints.

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Phalanges of hand