diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Hand.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/Hand.cpp
index 7e5f86f484..693923caf6 100755
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Hand.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Hand.cpp
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ void Hand::simulate(float deltaTime, bool isMine) {
     }
 }
 
-const float PALM_COLLISION_RADIUS = 0.01f;
+const float PALM_COLLISION_RADIUS = 0.03f;
 
 void Hand::updateCollisions() {
     // use position to obtain the left and right palm indices
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ void Hand::updateCollisions() {
         // and the current avatar
         glm::vec3 owningPenetration;
         const Model& skeletonModel = _owningAvatar->getSkeletonModel();
-        int skipIndex = skeletonModel.getParentJointIndex(
+        int skipIndex = skeletonModel.getLastFreeJointIndex(
             (i == leftPalmIndex) ? skeletonModel.getLeftHandJointIndex() :
                 (i == rightPalmIndex) ? skeletonModel.getRightHandJointIndex() : -1);
         if (_owningAvatar->findSpherePenetration(palm.getPosition(), scaledPalmRadius, owningPenetration, skipIndex)) {
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp b/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp
index 0b2083619c..c0403b6d71 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp
@@ -458,6 +458,10 @@ int Model::getParentJointIndex(int jointIndex) const {
     return (isActive() && jointIndex != -1) ? _geometry->getFBXGeometry().joints.at(jointIndex).parentIndex : -1;
 }
 
+int Model::getLastFreeJointIndex(int jointIndex) const {
+    return (isActive() && jointIndex != -1) ? _geometry->getFBXGeometry().joints.at(jointIndex).freeLineage.last() : -1;
+}
+
 bool Model::getHeadPosition(glm::vec3& headPosition) const {
     return isActive() && getJointPosition(_geometry->getFBXGeometry().headJointIndex, headPosition);
 }
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/Model.h b/interface/src/renderer/Model.h
index 98bff597a0..3550410492 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/Model.h
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/Model.h
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ public:
     /// Returns the index of the parent of the indexed joint, or -1 if not found.
     int getParentJointIndex(int jointIndex) const;
     
+    /// Returns the index of the last free ancestor or the indexed joint, or -1 if not found.
+    int getLastFreeJointIndex(int jointIndex) const;
+    
     /// Returns the position of the head joint.
     /// \return whether or not the head was found
     bool getHeadPosition(glm::vec3& headPosition) const;