In this pdf-note, we’ll start with the borders of the upper limb:
The anterior border is the deltopectoral groove
The posterior border is the posterior deltoid groove
Borders of the upper limb Borders of the upper limb Within the upper limb, there is a large number of regions:
Deltoid region (regio deltoidea)
Axillary region (regio axillaris)
Anterior region of the arm (regio brachialis anterior)
Posterior region of the arm (regio brachialis posterior)
Anterior region of the elbow (regio cubitalis anterior)
Posterior region of the elbow (regio cubitalis posterior)
Anterior region of the forearm (regio antero brachialis anterior)
Posterior region of the forearm (regio anterobrachialis posterior)
Anterior region of the wrist (regio carpalis anterior)
Posterior region of the wrist (regio carpalis posterior)
Palmar region of the hand (regio palmaris manus)
Dorsal region of the hand (regio dorsalis manus)
Regions of the upper limb Regions of the upper limb Within these areas, the muscles of the upper limb are located.
These include:
Pectoral girdle muscles
Muscles of the free part of the upper limb
The muscles of the free part of the upper limb are divided into:
Arm muscles
Forearm muscles
Hand muscles
There are three groups among the muscles of the hand:
The thenar eminence muscles (thenar) is the lateral group
The hypothenar eminence muscles (hypothenar) is the medial group
Middle muscle group
The thenar eminence muscles include:
Abductor pollicis brevis muscle (m. abductor pollicis brevis)
Abductor pollicis brevis muscle (m. abductor pollicis brevis) Abductor pollicis brevis muscle (m. abductor pollicis brevis) Abductor pollicis brevis muscle
(m. abductor pollicis brevis)Origin: flexor retinaculum, scaphoid bone, transverse ligament of the wrist
Insertion: base of the proximal phalanx of the thumb
Function: abducts the thumb
Innervation: median nerve (C5-Th1)
Blood supply: superficial palmar branch of the radial artery
Opponens pollicis muscle (m. opponens pollicis)
Opponens pollicis muscle (m. opponens pollicis) Opponens pollicis muscle
(m. opponens pollicis)Origin: flexor retinaculum, trapezium bone
Insertion: Radial border and anterior surface of the 1st metacarpal
Function: opposes the thumb to the little finger
Innervation: median nerve (C5-Th1)
Blood supply: superficial palmar branch of the radial artery, deep palmar arterial arch
Flexor pollicis brevis muscle (m. flexor pollicis brevis)
Flexor pollicis brevis muscle (m. flexor pollicis brevis) Flexor pollicis brevis muscle (m. flexor pollicis brevis) Flexor pollicis brevis muscle
(m. flexor pollicis brevis)Origin:
Superficial head (caput superficiale) arises from the flexor retinaculum
Deep head (caput profundum) arises from the trapezium, trapezoid, 2nd metacarpal
Insertion:
Superficial head (caput superficiale) inserts into the proximal phalanx of the thumb (using the lateral sesamoid bone)
Deep head (caput profundum) inserts into the proximal phalanx of the thumb (using the medial sesamoid bone), and into the lateral sesamoid bone
Function: flexes the proximal phalanx of the thumb
Innervation: median nerve (C5-Th1) innervates the superficial head, ulnar nerve (C8-Th1) innervates the deep head
Blood supply: superficial palmar branch of the radial artery, deep palmar arterial arch
Adductor pollicis muscle (m. adductor pollicis)



(m. adductor pollicis)
Origin:
Oblique head (caput obliquum) arises from the capitate bone and the bases of the 2nd and 3rd metacarpals
Transverse head (caput transversum) arises from the palmar surface of the 3rd metacarpal
Insertion: proximal phalanx of the thumb of the hand, capsule of the metacarpophalangeal joint
Function: adducts the thumb, flexes the thumb
Innervation: ulnar nerve (C8-Th1)
Blood supply: superficial palmar arterial arch and deep palmar arterial arch
Muscles of the hand
- Deltoid region
- regio deltoidea
- Axillary region
- regio axillaris
- Anterior region of the arm
- regio brachialis anterior
- Posterior region of the arm
- regio brachialis posterior
- Anterior region of the elbow
- regio cubitalis anterior
- Posterior region of the elbow
- regio cubitalis posterior
- Anterior region of the forearm
- regio anterobrachialis anterior
- Posterior region of the forearm
- regio anterobrachialis posterior
- Anterior region of the wrist
- regio carpalis anterior
- Posterior region of the wrist
- regio carpalis posterior
- Palmar region of the hand
- regio palmaris manus
- Dorsal region of the hand
- regio dorsalis manus
- Thenar eminence
- thenar
- Hypothenar eminence
- hypothenar
- Abductor pollicis brevis muscle
- m. abductor pollicis brevis
- Opponens pollicis muscle
- m. opponens pollicis
- Flexor pollicis brevis muscle
- m. flexor pollicis brevis
- Adductor pollicis muscle
- m. adductor pollicis