Elbow, Wrist, and Hand Exam Review

Practice vocabulary flashcards covering joint stability, epicondylitis conditions, common injuries, muscle actions of the elbow and wrist, and the role of intrinsic hand muscles.

"Unlocked" Elbow

A condition or position in which bony stability is reduced, allowing for greater side-to-side laxity.

Upper Extremity Joint Synergy

The coordinated interaction where glenohumeral effectiveness and elbow muscles contract to stabilize the radioulnar joints or assist in movement.

Lateral Epicondylitis

Commonly known as "tennis elbow"; a frequent condition involving irritation or overuse of the extensor digitorum muscle.

Medial Epicondylitis

Commonly known as "golfer's elbow"; a less common condition involving the medial wrist flexor and pronator group.

Scaphoid Injury

The most commonly injured carpal bone condition—frequently dismissed as a simple sprain—typically caused by falling onto an outstretched hand.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

A condition characterized by swelling and inflammation that increases pressure within the carpal tunnel, impairing median nerve function and leading to reduced motor and sensory function throughout its distribution.

Elbow and Radioulnar Flexors

The muscle group responsible for elbow flexion, primarily comprising the biceps brachii, brachialis, brachioradialis, and weakly assisted by the pronator teres.

Elbow and Radioulnar Extensors

The muscle group responsible for elbow extension, consisting of the triceps brachii and anconeus.

Radioulnar Pronators

Muscles that carry out forearm pronation, including the pronator teres, pronator quadratus, and brachioradialis.

Radioulnar Supinators

Muscles responsible for forearm supination, consisting of the biceps brachii, supinator muscle, and brachioradialis.

Wrist Flexors

Muscles responsible for wrist flexion, including flexor carpi radialis, flexor carpi ulnaris, and palmaris longus.

Wrist Extensors

Muscles responsible for wrist extension, including extensor carpi radialis longus, extensor carpi radialis brevis, extensor carpi ulnaris, and extensor pollicis longus and brevis.

Wrist Abductors

Muscles that abduct the wrist (radial deviation), including flexor carpi radialis, extensor carpi radialis longus, extensor carpi radialis brevis, and abductor pollicis longus.

Wrist Adductors

Muscles that adduct the wrist (ulnar deviation), comprising flexor carpi ulnaris and extensor carpi ulnaris.

Intrinsic Hand Muscles

Muscles essential for fine motor control that act as fine tuners and contribute to approximately 53% of grip strength; includes the lumbricals, palmar interossei, and dorsal interossei.

Lumbricals

A group of 4 intrinsic hand muscles essential for fine motor control and contributing to functional grip strength.

Palmar Interossei

A group of 3 intrinsic hand muscles that assist in fine motor control and overall grip stability.

Dorsal Interossei

A group of 4 intrinsic hand muscles that act as fine tuners for dexterity and support grip strength.