Opponens Pollicis

Region: Forearm & Hand Muscles · All forearm & hand muscles

Opponens Pollicis at a glance

OriginFlexor retinaculum and trapezium
InsertionLateral border of the first metacarpal (thumb)
ActionsBrings the thumb across the palm to meet the fingers (opposition)
Nerve supplyMedian nerve, recurrent branch (C8–T1)

◆ Good to know

Opposition is the movement that makes the human hand a precision tool — and the one most missed when the median nerve is injured.

Please note: This page is an anatomy education summary for students and curious readers, not medical advice. Attachment points are given in their classic short form; individual anatomy varies, and detailed dissection-level descriptions belong in an anatomy atlas.