Opponens pollicis

Trapezium and transverse carpal ligament

Metacarpal bone of the thumb on its radial side

Opposition of the thumb is a combination of actions that allows the tip of the thumb to touch the tips of other fingers. The part of opposition that this muscle is responsible for is the flexion of the thumb’s metacarpal at the first carpometacarpal joint. This specific action cups the palm. Many texts, for simplicity, use the term opposition to represent this component of true opposition. In order to truly oppose the thumb, the actions of a number of other muscles are needed at the thumb’s metacarpophalangeal joint.

Median nerve

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Blood Supply:

The opponens pollicis receives its blood supply from the superficial palmar arch.

Structure:

The opponens pollicis originates from the flexor retinaculum of the hand and the tubercle of the trapezium. It passes downward and lateralward, and is inserted into the whole length of the metacarpal bone of the thumb on its radial side.