Registered Nurse RN

Registered Nurse, Free Care Plans, Free NCLEX Review, Nurse Salary, and much more. Join the nursing revolution.

  • RN
    • Nursing Clinical Skills
  • Nursing Videos
  • Blog
  • Nursing School
  • Nursing Care Plans
  • Nursing Quizzes
  • Nursing
  • Nursing Jobs
  • NCLEX Review
  • Store

Opposition and Reposition of the Thumb

In this article and video, I’m going to demonstrate opposition and reposition, which are special movements involving the thumb.

The thumb, also known as the pollex or digit one, articulates (forms a joint) with the trapezium bone of the wrist (carpus) via a saddle joint, which is a type of synovial joint featuring interlocking convex and concave surfaces. They call it a saddle joint because, well, it kinda looks like a saddle (yee-haw, cowboy!).

Thanks to this saddle joint, the thumb can perform circumduction, flexion and extension, abduction and adduction, as well as special movements called opposition and reposition.

Opposition of the Thumb

Opposition of the thumb occurs when the tip of the thumb comes to meet (and oppose) the tip of another finger from the same hand. A super easy way to remember this is that you’ve probably heard someone say that humans have opposable thumbs. Opposition is the special movement of our opposable thumbs.

opposition thumb, reposition thumb, anatomy body movements

In fact, think about this: when the opposition movement occurs, what happens? In the picture above, did you notice how the thumb and finger created a shape similar to the letter ‘O’? The ‘O’ stands for opposition! Now you can easily remember this motion of our opposable thumbs!

Reposition of the Thumb

Reposition is the opposite action of opposition. During reposition, the thumb and finger return to their original position.

opposition, reposition, opposition thumb, reposition thumb, anatomy

Opposition and Reposition Anatomy Video

See a demonstration of opposition and reposition in the anatomy review video below:

Free Quiz and More Anatomy Videos

Take a free opposition and reposition quiz to test your knowledge, or review our opposition and reposition video. In addition, you might want to watch our anatomy and physiology lectures on YouTube, or check our anatomy and physiology notes.

Please Share:

  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
Nursing Gear

RSS Latest YouTube Videos

  • Weight-Based Dosage Calculation #shorts for Nursing School & NCLEX
  • Alzheimer's Disease (Dementia) Nursing: Symptoms, Treatment, Stages, Pathophysiology NCLEX
  • PPE Donning Order Sequence Nursing Tutorial #shorts
  • Depolarization and Repolarization of Heart: Action Potential (Atrial & Ventricular) Animation

Recent Posts

  • Depolarization vs Repolarization of Heart Action Potential Explained
  • Alzheimer’s Disease (Dementia) NCLEX Nursing Review
  • Alzheimer’s Disease Dementia NCLEX Quiz
  • The Great Saphenous Vein
  • NCLEX Study Plan

Disclosure and Privacy Policy

This website provides entertainment value only, not medical advice or nursing protocols. We strive for 100% accuracy, but nursing procedures and state laws are constantly changing. By accessing any content on this site or its related media channels, you agree never to hold us liable for damages, harm, loss, or misinformation. See our full disclosure and privacy policy. Copyright Notice: Do not copy this site, articles, images, or its contents without permission.

Important Links

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us

Follow Us on Social Media

  • Facebook Nursing
  • Instagram Nursing
  • TikTok Nurse
  • Twitter Nursing
  • YouTube Nursing

Get Free Email Updates:

Enter your email address below and hit "Submit" to receive free email updates and nursing tips.

Copyright © 2022 RegisteredNurseRN.com. All Rights Reserved.