Abductor Digiti Minimi (Hand)

Original Editor - Nikhil Benhur Abburi

Top Contributors - Nikhil Benhur Abburi, Kim Jackson and Wendy Snyders

Description[edit | edit source]

Abductor digiti minimi[1]

It is one of the intrinsic muscles of the hand, situated on the ulnar border of the hand, within the hypothenar eminence[2]. On occasion, an accessory abductor digiti minimi muscle is present[2] .

Origin[edit | edit source]

Pisiform, tendon of flexor carpi ulnaris and pisohamate ligament[2][3]

Insertion[edit | edit source]

Ulnar side of base of 5th proximal phalanx[2][3]

Nerve[edit | edit source]

Ulnar nerve (C8, T1)[2][3]

Artery[edit | edit source]

Ulnar artery[2]

Function[edit | edit source]

Abucts the 5th finger at the metacarpophalangeal joint[2]

Clinical relevance[edit | edit source]

In rare conditions the accessory abductor digiti minimi [4] may cause ulna nerve entrapment[5][6].

Assessment[edit | edit source]

Place the patient's forearm in supination and their wrist in neutral. Now instruct the patient to spread (abduct) their fingers, specifically the 5th digit. Press against the 5th digit (adduction), creating an isometric contraction of the abductor digiti minimi.

Resources[edit | edit source]

  1. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Musculus_abductor_digiti_minimi_(Hand).png
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Bell, D.J. (2021) Abductor digiti minimi muscle (hand): Radiology reference article, Radiopaedia Blog RSS. Radiopaedia.org. Available at: https://radiopaedia.org/articles/abductor-digiti-minimi-muscle-hand (Accessed: April 23, 2023).
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Soldado-Carrera F, Vilar-Coromina N, Rodriguez-Baeza A. An accessory belly of the abductor digiti minimi muscle: a case report and embryologic aspects. Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy. 2000 May;22:51-4.
  4. J R Sanudo, R M Mirapeix, and B Ferreira. A rare anomaly of abductor digiti minimi. Journal of anatomy 1993 Jun; 182(Pt 3): 439–442.
  5. Horst Claassen,Oliver Schmitt,Marko Schulze &Andrew Wree. Variation in the hypothenar muscles and its impact on ulnar tunnel syndrome Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy volume 35, pages 893–899(2013)
  6. Dimitriou C, Natsis K. Accessory abductor digiti minimi muscle causing ulnar nerve entrapment at the Guyon's canal: a case report. Clinical Anatomy. 2007 Nov 1;20(8):974-5.
  7. My rehab patient. Abductor digiti minimi control. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15ojdmKkueM [last accessed 31/3/2020]
  8. My rehab patient. Abductor digiti minimi resistance Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0aHLPfcDtY [last accessed 31/3/2020]