Flexor pollicis longus muscle
Last revised by Lam Van Le
on 16 Nov 2024
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Knipe H, Le L, Sharma R, et al. Flexor pollicis longus muscle. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 19 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-23266
rID:
23266
Article created:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.
View Henry Knipe's current disclosures
Last revised:
16 Nov 2024,
Lam Van Le
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Lam Van Le had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Lam Van Le's current disclosures
Revisions:
21 times, by
15 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
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Synonyms:
- Flexor pollicis longus (FPL) muscles
The flexor pollicis longus (FPL) muscle is one of the two muscles that make up the third layer of the anterior compartment of the forearm, along with the flexor digitorum profundus muscle. It is a deep muscle under the abductor pollicis brevis muscle. It passes through the carpal tunnel. It is one of the extrinsic muscles of the hand.
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Summary
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origin: mid-anterior surface of the radial shaft and adjacent interosseous membrane
frequently the flexor pollicis longus muscle arises from the lower part and slip of coronoid process of ulna by a rounded bundle of muscular fibres and even medial epicondyle of humerus
insertion: volar surface of the distal 1st phalanx (thumb)
innervation: anterior interosseous nerve
action: flexion of 1st interphalangeal joint
blood supply: anterior interosseous artery (branch of ulnar artery) 2
Variant anatomy
Related pathology
References
- 1. Michael Schünke, Lawrence M. Ross, Erik Schulte et al. General Anatomy and Musculoskeletal System. (2010) ISBN: 9781604062922 - Google Books
- 2. Dillon C. Benson, Kathleen H. Miao, Matthew Varacallo. Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Hand Flexor Pollicis Longus Muscle. StatPearls Publishing. 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538490/ - Pubmed
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Articles:
- Wrist
- Trigger thumb
- Anterior compartment of the forearm
- Inclusion body myositis
- Scaphoid
- Carpal tunnel
- Gantzer muscle
- Anterior interosseous nerve
- MRI of the wrist (an approach)
- Extrinsic muscles of the hand
- Radius
- Linburg–Comstock anomaly
- Carpometacarpal joint
- Zone classification of flexor tendon injury
- Anterior interosseous nerve syndrome
- Anterior interosseous artery
- Flexor carpi radialis brevis vel profundus
- Flexor digitorum profundus muscle
- OK sign test
- Split hand sign
Cases:
- Flexor tendons tenosynovitis - wrist
- Ruptured flexor pollicis longus tendon
- Flexor pollicis longus tendon tear
- Localised tenosynovial giant cell tumour - hand
- Median nerve injury
- Trigger thumb
- Traumatic neuroma - thumb
- Wrist laceration (ultrasound)
- Flexor pollicis longus tendinosis - zone TIII
- Lunate dislocation with median nerve entrapment
- Trigger thumb
- Trigger thumb
- Flexor pollicis longus tendinosis
- Giant cell tumour of the tendon sheath
- Flexor pollicis tendon rupture
- Flexor pollicis longus tendon rupture
- Ganglion cyst - thumb flexor tendon sheath
- Annular pulley partial tear - thumb
- Digital ganglion cyst
- Digital ganglion cyst
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 centres
-
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 centres
-
hand joints
- articulations
- carpometacarpal joint
-
metacarpophalangeal joints
- palmar ligament (plate)
- collateral ligament
-
interphalangeal joints
- palmar ligament (plate)
- collateral ligament
- movements
- ossification centres
- 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
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