The palmaris longus, which is a long and thin muscle in front of the forearm (the portion between the elbow and wrist), remains one of the most intriguing anatomical mysteries of the human body. Researchers have long observed that this muscle is absent in a significant portion of the population although the underlying reason for this absence remains unclear. Interestingly, it may be missing in one hand and present in the other, or absent bilaterally. This raises several questions about the influence of genetic factors on this variation and whether its absence affects grip strength.

This anatomical curiosity captured the attention of Abdulmalik Al-Raisi, a medical student at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences. He undertook a research project under the supervision of Dr. Srijit Das to investigate the relationship between the presence of the palmaris longus muscle and gender and assess its potential impact on grip strength. To achieve this, the researcher collected a sample of 480 male and female students between 18 and 25 years old.

Using a Camry digital handgrip dynamometer, the study revealed that the muscle was absent in more than 92% of participants, with a higher prevalence of absence among females compared to males, and more frequently in the left hand than the right. An interesting finding was that the average grip strength in individuals without the muscle was 35 kg, whereas those with the muscle demonstrated a slightly lower average grip strength of 30 kg.

The key conclusion drawn from the study was that the absence of the palmaris longus muscle does not constitute a significant determinant of grip strength. This suggests that genetic or evolutionary factors may influence the muscle’s presence or absence rather than functional demands related to hand strength.

With this research, Abdulmalik Al-Raisi earned second place at the 3^rd Emirates Conference of Anatomy and Cell Biology (2024), and the study’s findings were subsequently published in the Q1-ranked Diagnostics journal.

Clinically, the palmaris longus holds particular importance for reconstructive and cosmetic surgery. Surgeons often consider it an ideal donor muscle since its removal typically does not result in any functional loss to the forearm or hand. This makes it a valuable option for use in reconstructive procedures elsewhere in the body.