The muscle that only some people have is known as the palmaris longus muscle. It is a slender muscle located in the wrist area of the forearm that connects the elbow to the hand. It is present in around 14–32% of the population, so not everyone has it.
Its primary function is to flex the wrist, enabling us to do tasks such as closing our fist, although it helps to stabilize the hand when gripping something as well. When present, the palmaris longus muscle can be easily seen and felt on the forearm, where it runs along the inside of the wrist crease.
People who cannot see or feel this muscle do not have it.
Does palmaris longus make you stronger?
The short answer to this question is that palmaris longus does not directly increase strength. However, it can indirectly help improve strength when used in the right context. Palmaris longus is a thin muscle located in the forearm and is commonly used for tendon transfers that can reduce tendon transfer time and provide extra strength.
A tendon transfer from the palmaris longus to one of the finger flexor tendons can help provide additional strength for pinch, grasp, and wrist extension activities. This may be beneficial for people who participate in activities that involve heavy gripping, such as golf, climbing, or weightlifting.
In these cases, strengthening the palmaris longus could help improve overall strength and performance. Additionally, certain exercises that specifically target the palmaris longus can be beneficial for strengthening the wrist and fingers.
While the palmaris longus may not directly make you stronger, in the right context it can certainly help to improve overall strength and performance.
Why do I not have a palmaris longus muscle?
It is possible that you do not have a palmaris longus muscle because it is considered to be an uncommon variation. This muscle is found in approximately one in every four people, with some populations having a much higher frequency of occurrence.
The absence of this muscle is usually hereditary, and is usually passed down from generation to generation. It is thought to be a reflection of the adaptation of human anatomy in response to environment and lifestyle.
This particular variation of human anatomy is believed to be most common in populations who have a history of manual labor, such as farming and fishing. People with an absence of the palmaris longus muscle will typically not experience any noticeable reduction in hand strength or dexterity.
