nerve muscle chart

Musculocutaneous action

elbow flexion, forearm supination

Musculocutaneous injury

knife wand, brachial plexus injury (waiter’s tip)

Musculocutaneous presentation

weak elbow flexion and supination, loss of sensation over lateral forearm

axially action

abduction, lateral rotation

Axillary presentation

flat shoulder, numb lateral shoulder, abduction issues

Axillary injury

improper crutch use, surgical neck (humerus) fracture, shoulder dislocated

radial action

elbow, wrist, finger extension

radial presentation

wrist drop, inability to lift fingers

radial injury

midshaft humerus fracture “saturday night palsy”

median action

forearm pronation, wrist, finger, thumb flexion

median presentation

carpal tunnel, “hand of bendiction” when making fist

median injury

carpal tunnel, supracondyle fracture

ulnar action

finger abduction and adduction grip strength

ulnar presentation

claw hand, weak grip, inability to cross fingers

ulnar injury

medial epicondyle fracture

long thoracic action

protects scapula holds it against the thoracic wall

long thoracic presentation

winged scapula, difficulty raising arm above shoulder

long thoracic injury

axillary lymph node dissection (mastectomy) stab wound

thoracodorsal location

C6-C8

thoracodorsal action

arm extension, adduction, medial rotation

thoracodorsal presentation

can’t climb, can’t do pull up, difficulty using crutches

thoracodorsal injury

axillary surgery, lymph node dissection

thoracodorsal muscle innervation

latissimus dorsi

suprascapular location

C5-C6

suprascapular action

initiates abducteur, lateral rotation

suprascapular presentation

difficulty with abduct, weak external rotation

suprascapular injury

rotator cuff injury, supra scapular notch compression

upper + lower subscapular action

medial rotation, adduction

upper + lower subscapular presentation

weak internal rotation

upper + lower subscapular injury

rare, axillary trauma

medial pectoral action

adduction, medial rotation

medial pectoral presentation

weak pushing movements

medial pectoral injury

breast/axillary surgery

lateral pectoral action

adduction, medial rotation

lateral pectoral presentation

weak pushing (bench press)

lateral pectoral injury

surgical

nerve to subclavius action

stabilizes/depress clavicle

nerve to subclavius presenation

usually minimal deficits

nerve to subclavius injury

clavicle trauma

phrenic location

C3-C5

phrenic action

inspiration

phrenic presentation

elevated hemidiphragm, paradoxical breathing, hiccups

phrenic injury

neck surgery, mediastinal tumors

vagus location

CN X

vagus action

slows heart, bronchoconstrict, GI motility

vagus presentation

hoarseness, autonomic dysfunction

vagus injury

thyroid surgery, aortic aneurysm, mediastinal disease

axillary buzzword

surgical neck fracture

radial buzzword

midshaft humerus, sat night palsy, wrist drop

musculocutaneous buzzword

lateral forearm numbness, erb’s palsy

median buzzword

hand of benediction, ape hand

ulnar buzzword

claw hand

supraspinatus buzzword

difficulty starting arm abduction (1-15o)

thoracodorsal buzzword

mastectomy