Human Anatomy - Kotsan I. Ya. 2009

General overview of the muscles producing movements of individual body parts
Movements of the upper limb
Muscles producing movements in the wrist joint and joints of the hand

As a rule, movements in the radiocarpal joint occur simultaneously with movements in the midcarpal, carpometacarpal, and often the metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal JOINTS OF THE hand. Consequently, four functional Muscle groups can be distinguished here: wrist flexors, wrist extensors, wrist abductors, and adductors.

Wrist flexion is performed by Muscles that cross the frontal (transverse) axis and are located anterior to it on the front surface of the forearm and hand. These muscles include:

1) palmaris longus;

2) flexor carpi radialis;

3) flexor carpi ulnaris;

4) flexor digitorum superficialis;

5) flexor digitorum profundus;

6) flexor pollicis longus.

Wrist extension is performed by muscles that cross the frontal (transverse) axis of the radiocarpal joint and are positioned posterior to it on the back of the forearm. These are multi-joint muscles that produce simultaneous extension in all the joints they pass. These muscles include:

1) extensor carpi radialis longus;

2) extensor carpi radialis brevis;

3) extensor carpi ulnaris;

4) extensor digitorum;

5) extensor digiti minimi;

6) extensor indicis;

7) extensor pollicis longus.

Adduction of the hand. There are no muscles located on the Medial surface of the ulna that run strictly to the hand along the medial aspect of the radiocarpal joint. Adduction of the hand occurs According to the parallelogram of forces rule through the simultaneous contraction of:

1) flexor carpi ulnaris;

2) extensor carpi ulnaris.

Abduction of the hand. The following muscles take part in the abduction of the hand:

1) flexor carpi radialis;

2) extensor carpi radialis longus;

3) extensor carpi radialis brevis;

4) abductor pollicis longus;

5) extensor pollicis longus.

6) short extensor muscle of the thumb.

In addition, the abduction of the hand involves a minor contribution from the muscles descending from the forearm to the index finger.