I don't have palmaris longus!

Something I learned today: I don't have a palmaris longus muscle!
It's not that big a deal, since it's just a thin slip of a muscle that aids in flexing the wrist. But it was pretty cool in lab, because I was the only one who didn't have the muscle in either forearm. The cadaver I dissected this past summer was also missing palmaris longus bilaterally. My kinesiology professor told us that about 15% of people are missing palmaris in one arm while 9% are missing it in both.

Here's how to check if you have a palmaris longus muscle: Touch the pads of your thumb and your pinky finger together and flex your wrist. The tendon should pop up right below your palm. If you don't see a visible bump, chances are you don't have palmaris longus.

Why this could be a bad thing: Palmaris longus can be used in a tendon or ligament graft. Since removing it doesn't produce any noticeable functional impairment, it's a great muscle to remove and use in the place of a tendon that has ruptured.