The hook of the hamate is a distal attachment for which muscle?

The hook of the hamate serves as an important anatomical landmark, particularly as a distal attachment for the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle. This muscle primarily functions to flex and adduct the wrist, and its attachment at the hook of the hamate allows it to exert its influence effectively on wrist movements.

The flexor carpi ulnaris originates from the medial epicondyle of the humerus and extends down to its attachment at the pisiform and the hook of the hamate. This positioning not only provides a stable anchor for the muscle but also positions it strategically to coordinate with other muscles in movements involving wrist flexion and ulnar deviation.

In contrast, the other muscles listed do not attach at the hook of the hamate. The palmaris longus primarily attaches to the palmar aponeurosis, the flexor digitorum superficialis has multiple attachments that do not include the hook of the hamate, and the flexor pollicis longus primarily attaches to the base of the distal phalanx of the thumb. Therefore, the muscle that has the hook of the hamate as a distal attachment point is indeed the flexor carpi ulnaris.