The prehensile movements of the human hand.

1. The prehensile movements of the hand as a whole are analysed from both an anatomical anda functional viewpoint. 2. It is shown that movements of the hand consist of two basic patterns of movements which are termed precision grip and power grip. 3. In precision grip the object is pinched between the flexor aspects of the fingers and that of the opposing thumb. 4. In power grip the object is held as in a clamp between the flexed fingers and the palm, counter pressure being applied by the thumb lying more or less in the plane of the palm. 5. These two patterns appear to cover the whole range of prehensile activity of the human hand.