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Why is it that regardless of whether you are left-handed, right-handed or ambidextrous, you find it much easier to drum your fingers starting with your little finger rather than your forefinger?

Thanks to all of those who offered anatomical explanations, but it seems that they are misplaced. We have uncovered an important subset of the population, some of whom are clearly in need of reassurance – Ed

• It is totally alien to me to attempt to drum my fingers starting with the little finger. Please tell me I am not alone. My husband often says he doesn’t know which planet I am from.

Gillian Spencer, Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK

• While reading the question I felt the need to drum my fingers and realised I was rolling in the opposite direction to the questioner’s theory – starting on my forefinger and finishing at my little one.

For the record, I am right-handed and always drum my fingers with my right hand but I assume that my first finger drum was picked up from the action of another person, rather than being instinctive. To test my theory I asked a few of my friends and I got a good mixture of directions of finger roll. These also indicated that the action came from different directions regardless of whether the performer was left-handed, right-handed or ambidextrous.

Rachel Wickerson, Groombridge, Kent, UK