Flexor Carpi Ulnaris Muscle
Original Editor Uchechukwu Chukwuemeka
Top Contributors - Uchechukwu Chukwuemeka, Ananya Bunglae Sudindar, Patti Cavaleri and Vidya Acharya
Original Editor -
Top Contributors - Uchechukwu Chukwuemeka, Ananya Bunglae Sudindar, Patti Cavaleri and Vidya Acharya
Description[edit | edit source]
Flexor carpi ulnaris muscle (FCU) is the most medial flexor muscle in the superficial compartment of the forearm[1]. It can adduct and flex the wrist at the same time; acts in tandem with flexor carpi radialis to flex the wrist and with the extensor carpi ulnaris to adduct the wrist. This muscle is the only muscle in the anterior compartment that is fully innervated by the ulnar nerve.
Origin[edit | edit source]
It has an long linear origin from olecranon and posterior border of the ulna.
It also has a humeral head origin from the medial epicondyle of the humerus.
Insertion[edit | edit source]
It inserts at the base of Pisiform bone, hook of hamate and base of 5th metacarpal.[1][2]
Nerve[edit | edit source]
FCU is innervated by the Ulnar nerve (C7,C8, T1)
Artery[edit | edit source]
FCU blood supply is via ulnar collateral arteries, and also anterior and posterior ulnar recurrent arteries.
Function[edit | edit source]
FCU flexes and adducts the hand at the wrist joint.
Clinical Relevance[2][edit | edit source]
The ulnar nerve enters the forearm by passing between the humeral and the ulnar heads of the FCU. Compression and entrapment of the ulnar nerve can occur between the two heads of the flexor carpi ulnaris aponeurosis at the cubital tunnel[3].
Where the FCU tendon inserts serves as a landmark in finding the ulnar nerve and artery, which are just lateral to the tendon at the wrist.
It shares a common tendon with the other wrist flexors and can contribute to medial epicondylalgia[4].
Assessment[edit | edit source]
Manual Muscle Testing[5][edit | edit source]
The patient/client is seated with posterior aspect of the forearm and hand flat on a table; then, the hand is positioned in supination and extension
The therapist is seated at the side of the upper limb being tested, one hand stabilizes the patient's forearm and as well palpates the muscle and its tendon; while the other hand's two to three fingers is placed on the radial side of the hand at the 5th metacarpal and metacarpophalangeal joint of the patient
Instruction: The patient is instructed to abduct the little finger while flexing the wrist against the therapist's resistance. For further reading see...
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Drake, RL, Vogl, W, Mitchell, AW, Gray, H. Gray's anatomy for Students 2nd ed. Philadelphia : Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier, 2010
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Moore, KL, Dalley, AF, Agur, AM. Clinically oriented anatomy. 7th ed. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2014
- ↑ Lung BE, Siwiec RM. Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Forearm Flexor Carpi Ulnaris Muscle. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526051/ (accessed 2nd April 2019)
- ↑ Reece CL, Susmarski A. Medial Epicondylitis. 2022 Apr 30. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan–.
- ↑ Hislop, HJ, Montgomery,J. Daniels and Worthingham's Muscle Testing: Techniques of Manual Examination. 8th ed. Missouri: Saunders Elsevier, 2007
- ↑ OTstudentVids. MMT of Flexor Carpi Radialis/Ulnaris and Extensor Carpi Uln. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31Wbe7xv8Jk [last accessed 29/3/2019]
