Palmaris longus muscle

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Palmaris longus muscle
Front of right upper extremity. (Palmaris longus labeled at bottom, second from left.)
Transverse section across distal ends of radius and ulna. (Palmaris longus labeled at center top.)
Latin musculus palmaris longus
Gray's subject #125 446
Origin: Common flexor origin
Insertion: Palmar aponeurosis
Blood: Ulnar artery
Nerve: Median nerve
Action: Wrist flexor
Dorlands/Elsevier m_22/12550072

The palmaris longus is seen as a small tendon between the flexor carpi radialis and the flexor carpi ulnaris, although it is not always present.

It is a slender, fusiform muscle, lying on the medial side of the flexor carpi radialis.

It arises from the medial epicondyle of the humerus by the common flexor tendon, from the intermuscular septa between it and the adjacent muscles, and from the antibrachial fascia.

It ends in a slender, flattened tendon, which passes over the upper part of the flexor retinaculum, and is inserted into the central part of the flexor retinaculum and lower part of the palmar aponeurosis, frequently sending a tendinous slip to the short muscles of the thumb.

It can be palpated by touching the pads of the fifth and first fingers and flexing the wrist. The tendon, if present, will be very visible.

[edit] Variation

The palmaris longus is a variable muscle, absent in about 10 percent of the population. It may be tendinous above and muscular below; or it may be muscular in the center with a tendon above and below; or it may present two muscular bundles with a central tendon; or finally it may consist solely of a tendinous band.

The muscle may be double.

Slips of origin from the coronoid process or from the radius have been seen.

Partial or complete insertion into the fascia of the forearm, into the tendon of the Flexor carpi ulnaris and pisiform bone, into the scaphoid, and into the muscles of the little finger have been observed.

[edit] External links

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.

Muscles of the HeadNeckTrunkUpper limbLower limbLIST OF ALL MUSCLES

VERTEBRAL COLUMN: trapezius | latissimus dorsi | rhomboid major | rhomboid minor | levator scapulae | (Gray's s121)

ANTERIOR AND LATERAL THORACIC WALLS: pectoralis major | pectoralis minor | subclavius | serratus anterior | (Gray's s122)

SHOULDER: deltoid | rotator cuff (subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor) | teres major | (Gray's s123)

ARM: coracobrachialis | biceps brachii | brachialis | triceps brachii | (Gray's s124)

FOREARM: Volar super. | pronator teres | palmaris longus | flexor carpi radialis | flexor carpi ulnaris | flexor digitorum superficialis
Volar deep | flexor digitorum profundus | flexor pollicis longus | pronator quadratus
Dorsal super. | brachioradialis | extensor digitorum | extensor carpi radialis longus | extensor digiti minimi | extensor carpi radialis brevis | extensor carpi ulnaris | anconeus
Dorsal deep | supinator | abductor pollicis longus | extensor pollicis brevis | extensor pollicis longus | extensor indicis | (Gray's s125)

HAND: Lateral volar | abductor pollicis brevis | thenar (opponens pollicis, flexor pollicis brevis, adductor pollicis)
Medial volar | palmaris brevis | hypothenar (abductor minimi digiti, flexor digiti minimi brevis, opponens digiti minimi)
Intermediate | lumbrical | dorsal interossei | palmar interossei | (Gray's s126)

In other languages