Extrinsic muscles of the hand
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Bell D, Hacking C, Extrinsic muscles of the hand. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 23 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-66814
rID:
66814
Article created:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Daniel J Bell had no recorded disclosures.
View Daniel J Bell's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Craig Hacking had no recorded disclosures.
View Craig Hacking's current disclosures
Revisions:
3 times, by
2 contributors -
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Systems:
Sections:
Synonyms:
- Extrinsic hand muscles
- Long hand muscles
- Long muscles of the hand
The extrinsic muscles of the hand are the muscles of the hand that originate outside the hand but insert into structures within the hand 1,2. Most of the extrinsic muscles have their origins within the forearm, with several solely/also originating from the humerus:
- flexor carpi radialis muscle
- palmaris longus muscle
- flexor carpi ulnaris muscle
- flexor digitorum superficialis muscle
- flexor digitorum profundus muscle
- flexor pollicis longus muscle
- pronator quadratus muscle
- extensor carpi radialis longus muscle
- extensor carpi radialis brevis muscle
- extensor digitorum muscle
- extensor digiti minimi muscle
- extensor carpi ulnaris muscle
- abductor pollicis longus muscle
- extensor pollicis longus muscle
- extensor pollicis brevis muscle
- extensor indicis muscle
See also
References
- 1. Andreisek G, Kislinger B, Dessouky R, Chhabra A. MRI of the Intrinsic Muscles of the Hand. (2017) Seminars in musculoskeletal radiology. 21 (4): 392-402. doi:10.1055/s-0037-1604006 - Pubmed
- 2. Johnston JA, Bobich LR, Santello M. Coordination of intrinsic and extrinsic hand muscle activity as a function of wrist joint angle during two-digit grasping. (2010) Neuroscience letters. 474 (2): 104-8. doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2010.03.017 - Pubmed
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Articles:
- Pronator quadratus muscle
- Extensor digiti minimi muscle
- Flexor digitorum superficialis muscle
- Hands
- Extensor pollicis brevis muscle
- Extensor pollicis longus muscle
- Flexor carpi ulnaris muscle
- Muscles of the hand
- Extensor carpi radialis longus muscle
- Extensor carpi radialis brevis muscle
- Palmaris longus muscle
- Extensor indicis muscle
- Flexor carpi radialis muscle
- Flexor pollicis longus muscle
- Abductor pollicis longus muscle
- Extensor carpi ulnaris muscle
- Intrinsic muscles of the hand
- Extensor digitorum muscle
- Flexor digitorum profundus muscle
Related articles: Anatomy: Upper limb
-
skeleton of the upper limb
- clavicle
- scapula
- humerus
- radius
- ulna
- hand
- accessory ossicles of the upper limb
- accessory ossicles of the shoulder
- accessory ossicles of the elbow
-
accessory ossicles of the wrist (mnemonic)
- os centrale carpi
- os epilunate
- os epitriquetrum
- os styloideum
- os hamuli proprium
- lunula
- os triangulare
- trapezium secondarium
- os paratrapezium
- os radiostyloideum (persistent radial styloid)
- joints of the upper limb
-
pectoral girdle
-
shoulder joint
- articulations
- associated structures
- joint capsule
- bursae
- ligaments
- movements
- scapulothoracic joint
-
glenohumeral joint
- arm flexion
- arm extension
- arm abduction
- arm adduction
- arm internal rotation (medial rotation)
- arm external rotation (lateral rotation)
- circumduction
- arterial supply - scapular anastomosis
- ossification centers
-
shoulder joint
-
elbow joint
- proximal radioulnar joint
- ligaments
- associated structures
- movements
- alignment
- arterial supply - elbow anastomosis
- development
-
wrist joint
- articulations
-
ligaments
- intrinsic ligaments
- extrinsic ligaments
- radioscaphoid ligament
- dorsal intercarpal ligament
- dorsal radiotriquetral ligament
- dorsal radioulnar ligament
- volar radioulnar ligament
- radioscaphocapitate ligament
- long radiolunate ligament
- Vickers ligament
- short radiolunate ligament
- ulnolunate ligament
- ulnotriquetral ligament
- ulnocapitate ligament
- ulnar collateral ligament
- associated structures
- extensor retinaculum
- flexor retinaculum
- joint capsule
- movements
- alignment
- ossification centers
-
hand joints
- articulations
- carpometacarpal joint
-
metacarpophalangeal joints
- palmar ligament (plate)
- collateral ligament
-
interphalangeal joints
- palmar ligament (plate)
- collateral ligament
- movements
- ossification centers
- articulations
-
pectoral girdle
- spaces of the upper limb
- muscles of the upper limb
- shoulder girdle
- anterior compartment of the arm
- posterior compartment of the arm
-
anterior compartment of the forearm
- superficial
- intermediate
- deep
-
posterior compartment of the forearm (extensors)
- superficial
- deep
- muscles of the hand
-
accessory muscles
- elbow
- volar wrist midline
- palmaris longus profundus
- aberrant palmaris longus
- volar wrist radial-side
- accessory flexor digitorum superficialis indicis
- flexor indicis profundus
- flexor carpi radialis vel profundus
- accessory head of the flexor pollicis longus (Gantzer muscle, common)
- volar wrist ulnar-side
- dorsal wrist
- blood supply to the upper limb
-
arteries
- subclavian artery (mnemonic)
- axillary artery
- brachial artery (proximal portion)
- ulnar artery
- radial artery
- veins
-
arteries
- innervation of the upper limb
- intercostobrachial nerve
-
brachial plexus (mnemonic)
- branches from the roots
- branches from the trunks
- branches from the cords
- lateral cord
- posterior cord
- medial cord
- terminal branches
- lymphatic drainage of the upper limb