The most common cause of cold hands other than the weather is nervousness. When you're nervous, the surface capillaries in the hands and feet constrict, causing the feeling of coldness. Some people may have a condition called Raynaud's syndrome. With this syndrome, the arteries in the hands constrict in response to cold, causing the fingers to turn white or blue. Talk to your doctor if you think you have this problem. If you do, prescription medications are available to help.

Almost 90 percent of women and 80 percent of men in the age group 75-79 years have x-ray evidence of osteoarthritis in their hands.

The skin on the palm of the hand and fingers is unique for these reasons:
- No hair
- Fingerprints
- Usually neither color nor the ability to tan
- Tough and durable, yet sensitive

One third of all acute injuries seen in emergency rooms involve the upper extremities.

One out of four athletic injuries involve the hand and wrist.