Finger length has previously been associated with various medical conditions such as higher prenatal testosterone levels, lower estrogen levels, higher sperm counts, and increased risk for heart attack. (For example, males are commonly found to have an index finger is shorter than the ring finger, a characteristic often associated with more masculine features, higher testosterone levels, and athletic activity.)
And now it’s being touted as a way to predict the likely occurrence of knee and hip arthritis.
A study reported in the January 2008 issue of Arthritis and Rheumatism sought to determine whether there is a correlation between finger lengths and osteoarthritis. The ratio of the index finger to the ring finger was measured and grouped logically into several categories: index finger longer than the ring finger, fingers being equal, and the index finger being shorter than the ring finger.
For both male and female participants, there was a correlation between the tendency to develop osteoarthritis in the hip and knee and having an index finger shorter than the ring finger. Although the study also noted that this finding was higher for the development of osteoarthritis in the knee than for the hip, the study authors suggested that further research is needed to determine why this is the case.
Source: Index to ring finger length ratio and the risk of osteoarthritis, W. Zhang, Arthritis and Rheumatism, January 2 2008
