Accomplishments and Records

Need a Hand? They Have Plenty to Spare

world's largest hand Robert Wadlow Lui Hua
Robert Wadlow (left) and the hand of Lui Hua (right)

Afflicted with a condition called macrodactyly, Lui Hua of Jiangsu, China had one of the largest hands on record. His left thumb was 10.5 inches (26 cm); his index finger was 12 inches (30 cm), and his middle finger was 6 inches (15 cm). Overall, his left arm weighed 22 pounds (10 kg). In 2007 surgeons removed 13 pounds of flesh and bone in an effort to make his life more manageable.

Surprisingly, even with a massive hand such as this, Lui Hua did not hold the world record. That honor belongs to Robert Wadlow (1918-1940). Born with a condition called hyperplasia of his pituitary gland, Wadlow grew to an impressive 8 feet, 11.1 inches (2.72 m). His hands measured 12.75 inches (32.3 cm) from the wrist to the tip of his middle finger. He wore a size 25 ring.

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