Anatomy of Movement: Muscles of the Forelimb of the Dog

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles of the canine forelimb, including their origins, insertions, innervations, and functional classifications.

Extrinsic muscles

Muscles that attach the limb to the trunk and move the whole limb.

Intrinsic muscles

Muscles that move limb bones relative to each other.

Flexors

Muscles classified by their action of reducing the angle of a joint.

Extensors

Muscles classified by their action of increasing the angle of a joint.

Dorsiflexion

A condition of over-extension at the metacarpo-/metatarso-phalangeal joints where movement goes beyond $180^{\circ}$.

Serratus ventralis

A shoulder support muscle originating from cervical vertebrae and ribs, inserting on the fascies serrata of the scapula, and innervated by cervical nerves and the long thoracic nerve.

Rhomboideus

A shoulder support muscle with capital, cervical, and thoracic parts; it originates from the nuchal crest, medial raphe of the neck, and spinous processes of thoracic vertebrae.

Superficial pectoral

A muscle originating from sternebrae 1-3 and inserting on the greater tubercle of the humerus.

Deep pectoral

A muscle originating from the sternum and inserting on the lesser tubercle of the humerus and medial brachial fascia.

Trapezius

A shoulder support muscle with cervical and thoracic parts, innervated by the Accessory nerve (CN XI), inserting on the spine of the scapula.

Brachiocephalicus

A shoulder muscle divided by a clavicular tendon into three parts: Cleidobrachialis, Cleidocervicalis, and Cleidomastoideus.

Latissimus dorsi

A retractor muscle (meaning 'flattest') originating from thoracic and lumbar vertebral fascia and inserting on the teres tuberosity.

Omotransversarius

A protractor muscle originating from the wing of the atlas and inserting on the spine of the scapula.

Adduction

Movement of the limb towards the body.

Abduction

Movement of the limb away from the body.

Deltoideus

An abductor and shoulder flexor with two parts in the dog, originating from the spine of the scapula and acromion, and inserting on the deltoid tuberosity.

Teres major

A flexor of the shoulder originating from the caudal angle of the scapula and inserting on the teres tuberosity.

Teres minor

A shoulder flexor originating from the infraglenoid tuberosity and inserting on the tricipital line of the humerus.

Infraspinatus

A shoulder flexor originating from the infraspinous fossa and inserting on the greater tubercle of the humerus.

Triceps brachii

An elbow extensor consisting of four heads (Long, Lateral, Medial, and Accessory) in the dog, all inserting on the olecranon.

Anconeus

An elbow extensor originating from the lateral and medial epicondyle of the humerus and inserting on the anconeal process of the proximal ulna.

Tensor fasciae antebrachii

An elbow extensor originating from the fascia of the Latissimus dorsi and inserting on the olecranon.

Supination

The movement of turning the paw dorsal ('palm up').

Supraspinatus

A shoulder extensor originating from the supraspinous fossa and inserting on the greater tubercle.

Subscapularis

A shoulder extensor originating from the subscapular fossa (medial aspect) and inserting on the lesser tubercle.

Coracobrachialis

A shoulder extensor originating from the coracoid process and inserting on the lesser tubercle, innervated by the musculocutaneous nerve.

Biceps brachii

An elbow flexor originating from the supraglenoid tubercle and inserting on the radial and ulnar tuberosities.

Brachialis

An elbow flexor originating from the proximal musculospiral groove and inserting on the radial and ulnar tuberosities.

Pronator teres

A muscle originating from the medial epicondyle and inserting on the medial radius, acting as a pronator and elbow flexor.

Extensor carpi radialis

A carpal extensor originating from the lateral epicondylar crest and inserting on Metacarpals II & III.

Common Digital Extensor

A muscle originating from the lateral epicondyle and inserting on the distal phalanges of digits II-V.

Extensor pollicis longus

Also called 'extensor digit I', it originates from the cranial distal ulna and inserts on MC I and the CDE tendon to II.

Abductor pollicis longus

A muscle originating from the cranial distal ulna and radius that inserts on Metacarpal I.

Flexor carpi ulnaris

A carpal flexor with humeral and ulnar heads that inserts on the accessory carpal bone, innervated by the ulnar nerve.

Ulnaris lateralis

Also known as Extensor carpi ulnaris, it originates from the lateral epicondyle and unexpectedly inserts on Metacarpal V as a flexor.

Superficial digital flexor

A muscle originating from the medial epicondyle and inserting on the middle phalanx of digits II-V.

Deep digital flexor

A muscle with three heads (medial epicondyle, ulna, and radius) inserting on the distal phalanx of digits II-V.

Manica flexoria

A structure associated with the superficial and deep digital flexor tendons.