Lumbrical muscles of the hand
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
At the time the article was created Minghao Li had no recorded disclosures.
View Minghao Li's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Mohammad Taghi Niknejad had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Mohammad Taghi Niknejad's current disclosures- Lumbricals
The lumbrical muscles of the hand are intrinsic muscles of the hand associated with the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) tendon.
On this page:
Summary
origin: tendons of flexor digitorum profundus in the palm
insertion: extensor expansion on the dorsum of proximal phalanx after passing along the lateral side of metacarpophalangeal joints
innervation: following the parent tendon, i.e. ulnar two lumbricals by ulnar nerve (C8, T1), radial two lumbricals by median nerve
action: provide motor and proprioceptive functions, flex metacarpophalangeal joints, when closing fist extends terminal phalanx
arterial supply: palmar metacarpal arteries
Gross anatomy
The four lumbricals arise from the tendons of the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP). The first and second lumbricals arise from the radial side of the FDP tendons of the index and middle fingers. The third lumbrical arises from the adjacent tendons of the middle and ring finger while the fourth arises from the adjacent tendons of the ring and little finger.
Each lumbrical travels on the radial side of its corresponding finger and attaches to the lateral edge of the extensor expansion complex on the dorsum of each finger.
ADVERTISEMENT: Supporters see fewer/no ads
Variant anatomy
Variations in the muscles bellies and attachments of the lumbricals are common with any being possibly unipennate or bipennate. Accessory lumbrical slips have been described as also attaching to the tendons of the flexor digitorum superficialis.
History and etymology
The name comes from the Latin 'lumbricus' meaning 'worm' 5 describing the gross appearance of the muscle.
References
- 1. Gray's Anatomy for Students: With STUDENT CONSULT Online Access, 3e. Churchill Livingstone. ISBN:0702051314. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Clinically Oriented Anatomy. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. ISBN:1451119453. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 3. Last's Anatomy. Churchill Livingstone. ISBN:0702033944. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 4. Susan Standring. Gray's Anatomy. ISBN: 9780443066849
- 5. William Alexander Newman Dorland. Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary. (2018) ISBN: 9781416023647
Incoming Links
- Lumbricals (disambiguation)
- Hand intrinsic muscles innervated by the median nerve (mnemonic)
- Extensor expansion
- Hands
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Intrinsic muscles of the hand
- Median nerve
- Zone classification of flexor tendon injury
- Extensor digitorum muscle
- Camptodactyly
- Intrinsic muscles of the hand (mnemonic)
- Ulnar nerve
- Guyon's canal syndrome
- Superficial palmar arch
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
Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.
