Why does the ring finger not move independently?

Question

Why is it that we need to move little finger in order to move ring finger with it? For example, put your palm on a table and fold your middle finger inside. You won't be able to move your ring finger unless you move your little finger along with it. Why? [Paul Gilbert](http://www.paulgilbert.com) and [Buckethead](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckethead) and various other guitarists are the only people that I'm aware of that use the ring finger and looks independent. Is it possible to have surgery to make the fingers independent or is it not functional to do that?

Answer 1

Some people can, some people can't.

So, there are a couple reasons for this. The pinky and ring finger can "share" the muscles in the webbing between the fingers. So, if you hold your fingers straight and try to bring either your pinky or your ring finger down, you will find both move together.

They also share innervation. However, the pinky is far more independent simply because it has special hypothenar muscles that allow it to sort of work like a thumb. Try this...

Take your pinky and thumb, bring them out to the side and then touch them to each other in the middle where the pad of the thumb and the pad of the pinky touch. This is possible because of the thenar muscles in your thumb and the hypothenar muscles in your pinky!

Hope this answers your question!