On February 18, we observe Thumb Appreciation Day! Thumb Day is observed yearly on February 18 to honour a body part that is often overlooked and even taken for granted: the thumb. Given that the thumb is regarded as one of the most essential fingers, this day is intended to be a celebration of its significance. Without our thumb, it would be practically hard to do several tasks necessary for our everyday life, such as zipping the fabric that shields us from wind and snow.
HISTORY OF THUMB APPRECIATION DAY
The 18th of February is commemorated yearly as Thumb Appreciation Day to honour the importance of our thumbs. It would have been nearly difficult to grasp things more readily, pick up little objects, eat with one hand, and perform so many other tasks without this bodily part.
The festival is intended to be a day to offer our thumb the love and appreciation it deserves for being so essential to the proper functioning of our hands and our lives. It is intended to encourage everyone to exhibit respect and gratitude for their thumbs, which medical specialists feel is one of the defining characteristics of humans.
Our thumbs allow us to operate heavy equipment that helps us exploit the earth’s riches. As further evidence of the importance of the thumb, medical experts concur that, if we were to lose one of our fingers, it would be the index finger.
Human thumbs, which are composed of two bones, are sometimes referred to as “opposable thumbs” because they can be stretched in opposition to other fingers in order to facilitate easy grasping. And it is known that they have a coordinated set of actions, such as translating, rotating, and flexing, that help with daily tasks such as writing an essay, turning a nut, picking up a coin, and buttoning a garment.
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5 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THE THUMB
The spore
The medical Latin term for thumb is pollex.
The bloated one
It is believed that the word ‘thumb’ derives from the Proto-Indo-European term ‘tum,’ which means ‘to swell,’ making the thumb ‘the swelled one.’
Each thumb has its own pulse.
According to medical professionals, the reason they take a pulse with the middle and index finger is because the thumb has a large artery, making it difficult to detect a pulse in the neck with the thumb.
Toes can morph into thumbs.
According to medical professionals, thumbs can be reconstructed from any patient’s great toe.
Thumb and disability
According to the American Medical Association, a total amputation of the thumb will result in a 40% disability of the entire hand.
THUMB APPRECIATION DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | February 18 | Saturday |
| 2024 | February 18 | Sunday |
| 2025 | February 18 | Tuesday |
| 2026 | February 18 | Wednesday |
| 2027 | February 18 | Thursday |
