Opponens Digiti Minimi Muscle Anatomy

The opponens digiti minimi (ODM) muscle is a quadrangular muscle that lies deep to the abductor and flexor muscles of the 5th finger. It’s an intrinsic muscle that lies in the hypothenar of the hand.

The opponens digiti minimi draws the 5th metacarpal anteriorly and rotates it laterally, thereby deepening the hollow of the palm and bringing the 5th finger into opposition with the thumb. Like the opponens pollicis, the opponens digiti minimi acts exclusively at the carpometacarpal joint.

Opponens Digiti Minimi Muscle Anatomy

The Opponens Digiti Minimi muscle originates from the hook of hamate and flexor retinaculum and inserts into the medial border of 5th metacarpal bone.

This muscle gets its innervation from deep branch of the ulnar nerve (C8 and T1), and gets its blood supply from the ulnar artery.

The opponens digiti minimi muscle serves to flex and laterally rotate the 5th metacarpal about the 5th carpometacarpal joint, as when bringing the little finger and thumb into opposition.

See Also: Hand Anatomy, Bones & Muscles

References & More

1. Cael, C. (2010). Functional anatomy: Musculoskeletal anatomy, kinesiology, and palpation for manual therapists. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
2. Moore, K. L., Dalley, A. F., & Agur, A. M. R. (2014). Clinically Oriented Anatomy (7th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
3. Uysal, Ahmet Çaǧri; Alagöz, Murat Şahin; Tüccar, Eray; Şensöz, Ömer; Tekdemir, Ibrahim (2005-01-01). “The vascular anatomy of the abductor digiti minimi and the flexor digiti minimi brevis muscles”. The Journal of Hand Surgery. 30 (1): 172–176.
4. Clinically Oriented Anatomy – 8th Edition