MUSCLES OF THE FOREARM

Course Lecturer: OVIOSUN,

AUGUSTINE
Department of Anatomy
Faculty of Basic Medical Science
Edo university, Iyamho.
3rd December 2019
 OUTLINE
1. INTRODUCTION

2. ANTERIOR COMPARTMENT OF FOREARM

3. POSTERIOR COMPARTMENT OF FOREARM

4. BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE FOREARM

5. CLINICAL CORRELATION
 LEARNING OUTCOMES
• By the end of this class, students should be able to –

1. Mention and give a brief anatomy of muscles of the forearm.

2. List the various muscles in the anterior and posterior

compartment, with their common similarities and functions

3. Describe blood supply of the forearm (ulnar and radial artery)

 INTRODUCTION
• Forearm is the region of upper limb between the
elbow and wrist.

• There are about 17-19 muscles crossing the

elbow joint, some of which acts on the elbow
joint exclusively, while others act at the wrist and
fingers.

• In the proximal part of the forearm ,the muscle

form fleshy mass extending from the medial and
lateral epicondyle of the humerus.

• The tendon of these muscles pass through the

distal part of the forearm and continue into the
wrist, hand and phalanges.
• Muscles of the forearm are divided
into two compartment

1. Anterior compartment (Flexor-

Pronator muscles of the forearm)

2. Posterior compartment (Extensor-

Supinator muscles of the
forearm)
 Anterior compartment (flexor- pronator
muscles of the forearm
• The anterior compartment of the
forearm contains flexor muscles and
are separated from the
extension/posterior compartment by
the radius and ulna.

• The anterior compartment muscles of

the forearm are arranged or divided
into three layers/groups.

• Namely : Superficial layer,

intermediate layer and deep layer
• SUPERFICIAL LAYER

• This group consist of four

muscles , namely : from lateral
to medial
1. Pronator Teres

2. Flexor Carpi Radialis

3. Palmaris Longus

4. Flexor carpi Ulnaris

INTERMEDIATE GROUP

This layer lies between the

superficial and deep layer of the
anterior compartment of the
forearm.

The flexor digitorium superficialis

is the only muscle in this group
• DEEP LAYER

• This layer contain muscles found deep

to both the superficial and
intermediate muscles of the forearm.
• The deep layer contain three muscles,
namely :
1. Flexor Digitroirm Profundus
2. Flexor Pollicis Longus
3. Pronator Quadratus
 FUNCTION OF ANTERIOR COMPARTMENT MUSCLES OF
FOREARM
1. Collectively muscles of the anterior
compartment of forearm performs flexion at
the wrist, fingers and pronation movements.

2. The long flexors of the digits flexes the

metacarpophalangeal joint and wrist joint.

3. The flexor digitorium superficialis flexes the

middle phalanges.

4. Flexor digitorium profundus flexes the distal

phalanges

5. Pronator quadratus is primarly for pronation

 IMPORTANT FACTS TO NOTE ABOUT ANTERIOR
COMPARTMENT MUSCLES OF THE FOREARM
1. All superficial muscles of the anterior compartment originates from the
medial epicondyle

2. The Palmaris longus muscle is absent in about 15% of the population.

3. All anterior compartment muscles of the forearm are innervated by

median nerve except flexor carpi ulnaris and flexor digitorium profundus
(medial half of flexor digitorium profundus)

4. Pronator Quadratus in the deep layer act mainly for pronation.

5. The flexor digitorium profundus muscle is the only muscle that can flex the
interphalageal joint.
 POSTERIOR COMPARTMENT OF FOREARM
• The muscles in the posterior compartment of the forearm are commonly
known as the extensor muscles.

• The general function of these muscles is to produce extension at the wrist

and fingers.

• They are all innervated by the radial nerve.

• Anatomically, the muscles in this compartment can be divided into two

layers; deep and superficial. These two layers are separated by a layer of
fascia.
• The superficial layer of the posterior
forearm contains seven muscles.

1. Branchioradalis muscle
2. Extensor carpi radialis longus (ECRL)
3. Extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB
4. Extensor digiti minimi
5. Extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU)
6. Extensor digitorium *
7. Anconeus

• With common origin from the lateral

epicondyle.
 POSTERIOR COMPARTMENT MUSCLES: DEEP LAYERS
• There are five muscles in the deep
compartment of the posterior
forearm –
1. Supinator
2. Abductor pollicis longus (APL)
3. Extensor pollicis brevis (EPB)
4. Extensor pollicis longus (EPL)
5. Extensor indicis.

• With the exception of the supinator,

these muscles act on the thumb and
the index finger.
 FUNCTIONS OF THE POSTERIOR COMPARTMENT
MUSCLES
• Posterior compartment muscles functions generally in extension of the
forearm and hand.

1. Extensor digitorium assist in extending the metacarpophalangeal joint and

interphalageal joint.

2. Extensor digit minimi extends the little fingers

3. Supinator helps to supinate the forearm

4. Abductor pollicis longus adduct the thumb

5. Extensor pollicis longus extends all joints of the thumb.
 Blood supply to forearm muscles
• The main arteries of the forearm are
the ulnar and radial arteries which
are terminal branches of brachial
artery.
 ULNAR ARTERY
• The Ulnar Artery is the larger of the two
terminal branches of the brachial artery.

• The ulnar artery is the main blood vessel of

the medial aspect of the forearm, wrist and
hand.

• It arises from the brachial artery and

terminates in the superficial palmar arch,
which joins with the superficial branch of the
radial artery.

• It is palpable on the anterior and medial

aspect of the wrist.
• Course – the artery begin below the
bend of the elbow in the cubital
fossa and passes downward to
reach the ulnar side of the forearm
to the ulnar side of the wrist

• And divides into two branches,

which enter into the formation of
the superficial and deep palmar
arches.
 BRANCHES OF ULNAR ARTERY

1. Anterior ulnar recurrent artery

2. Posterior ulnar recurrent
artery
3. Common interosseous artery
4. Muscular branch
5. Superficial palmar arch
6. Deep palmar arch
 RADIAL ARETERY

• The radial artery is a terminal

branch of the brachial artery and
arises at the cubital fossa of the
forearm.

• The artery supplies the postero-

lateral side of the forearm,
carpal bones, thumb and lateral
side of index finger.
Branches-
1. Radial recurrent artery
2. Palmar carpal branch
3. Dorsal carpal branch
4. Muscular branches
5. Superficial palmar branch
6. The artery terminates by anatomosing/joining with ulnar artery to
form deep palmar arch.
MEASUREMENT OF RADIAL ARTERY PULSE
 Clinical Relevance: Wrist Drop
• Wrist drop is a pathological condition
where there is an injury to radial nerve
resulting in paralysis of posterior
compartment muscles of forearm.

• The radial nerve innervates all muscles in

the extensor compartment of the
forearm.

• In the event of a radial nerve lesion,

these muscles are paralysed.
• The muscles that flex the wrist are
innervated by the median nerve, and
thus are unaffected. The tone of the
flexor muscles produces unopposed
flexion at the wrist joint – wrist drop.
• CONCLUSION/QUESTIONS