Muscle Name: Forearm Flexors and Extensors

Medical Name:

• Flexor and Extensor Muscles of the Forearm

Other Names:

• Forearm Muscles

Heads:

• Flexor Group
• Extensor Group

Flexor Group

Movement:

• Flexion of the wrist and fingers
  • Bending the wrist and fingers towards the palm
• Pronation of the forearm (some muscles)
  • Rotating the forearm to turn the palm downwards

Muscles in the Flexor Group:

• Flexor Carpi Radialis
  • Origin: Medial epicondyle of the humerus
  • Insertion: Base of the second and third metacarpal bones
  • Movement: Flexes and abducts the wrist
• Flexor Carpi Ulnaris
  • Origin: Medial epicondyle of the humerus; olecranon and posterior border of the ulna
  • Insertion: Pisiform, hook of the hamate, base of the fifth metacarpal
  • Movement: Flexes and adducts the wrist
• Flexor Digitorum Superficialis
  • Origin: Medial epicondyle of the humerus; coronoid process of the ulna; shaft of the radius
  • Insertion: Middle phalanges of the four fingers
  • Movement: Flexes the fingers at the proximal interphalangeal joints
• Flexor Digitorum Profundus
  • Origin: Anterior and medial surfaces of the ulna; interosseous membrane
  • Insertion: Bases of the distal phalanges of the four fingers
  • Movement: Flexes the fingers at the distal interphalangeal joints
• Flexor Pollicis Longus
  • Origin: Anterior surface of the radius; interosseous membrane
  • Insertion: Base of the distal phalanx of the thumb
  • Movement: Flexes the thumb

Extensor Group

Movement:

• Extension of the wrist and fingers
  • Straightening the wrist and fingers
• Supination of the forearm (some muscles)
  • Rotating the forearm to turn the palm upwards

Muscles in the Extensor Group:

• Extensor Carpi Radialis Longus
  • Origin: Lateral supracondylar ridge of the humerus
  • Insertion: Base of the second metacarpal bone
  • Movement: Extends and abducts the wrist
• Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis
  • Origin: Lateral epicondyle of the humerus
  • Insertion: Base of the third metacarpal bone
  • Movement: Extends and abducts the wrist
• Extensor Carpi Ulnaris
  • Origin: Lateral epicondyle of the humerus; posterior border of the ulna
  • Insertion: Base of the fifth metacarpal bone
  • Movement: Extends and adducts the wrist
• Extensor Digitorum
  • Origin: Lateral epicondyle of the humerus
  • Insertion: Extensor expansions of the four fingers
  • Movement: Extends the fingers
• Extensor Pollicis Longus
  • Origin: Posterior surface of the ulna; interosseous membrane
  • Insertion: Base of the distal phalanx of the thumb
  • Movement: Extends the thumb

Related Muscles:

• Brachioradialis
• Pronator Teres
• Pronator Quadratus
• Supinator

EXERCISES

COMMUNITY