CHATGPT CATEGORIZED Forearm Muscles, Nerves, Vessels & Clinical Correlates

Vocabulary flashcards covering muscles, nerves, vessels, anatomical landmarks, and clinical terms related to the forearm and wrist.

Anterior forearm muscles

Flex the digits and wrist, assist in pronation/supination, and have a minor role in elbow flexion.

Posterior forearm muscles

Extend the digits and wrist, abduct/adduct the wrist, extend/abduct the thumb, and assist in supination.

Median nerve

Main motor nerve to the anterior forearm (except FCU and medial FDP); passes through the carpal tunnel to the hand.

Ulnar nerve

Innervates flexor carpi ulnaris and the medial half of FDP in the forearm; travels through Guyon’s canal at the wrist.

Radial nerve

Supplies all posterior forearm muscles via its deep branch/posterior interosseous nerve and provides sensory innervation to the dorsum of the hand.

Superficial anterior forearm muscles

Pronator teres, flexor carpi radialis, palmaris longus, flexor carpi ulnaris, and flexor digitorum superficialis.

Deep anterior forearm muscles

Flexor digitorum profundus, flexor pollicis longus, and pronator quadratus.

Superficial posterior forearm muscles

Brachioradialis, extensor carpi radialis longus and brevis, extensor digitorum, extensor digiti minimi, and extensor carpi ulnaris.

Deep posterior forearm muscles

Abductor pollicis longus, extensor pollicis brevis and longus, extensor indicis, and supinator.

Common flexor tendon

Shared origin on the medial epicondyle of the humerus for superficial anterior forearm flexors.

Palmaris longus

Superficial flexor absent in about 14 % of people; tenses the palmar aponeurosis.

Flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU)

Wrist flexor and adductor innervated by the ulnar nerve; originates in part from the common flexor tendon.

Flexor digitorum profundus (FDP)

Deep muscle that flexes the distal interphalangeal joints; medial half supplied by the ulnar nerve, lateral half by the median nerve.

Pronator teres

Superficial pronator; median nerve passes between its two heads.

Pronator quadratus

Square-shaped deep muscle near the wrist that initiates forearm pronation.

Brachioradialis

Posterior compartment muscle that flexes the elbow, especially when the forearm is in mid-pronation.

Radius

Lateral forearm bone characterized by a head, neck, tuberosity, and styloid process.

Ulna

Medial forearm bone with an olecranon, coronoid process, and styloid process.

Interosseous membrane

Fibrous sheet connecting the shafts of the radius and ulna, providing muscle attachment and force transmission.

Radial artery

Forearm artery that chiefly forms the deep palmar arch and crosses the anatomical snuff box.

Ulnar artery

Forearm artery that mainly contributes to the superficial palmar arch; gives off common, anterior, and posterior interosseous branches.

Superficial palmar arch

Arterial loop in the palm formed primarily by the ulnar artery.

Deep palmar arch

Arterial loop deep in the palm formed primarily by the radial artery.

Guyon’s canal

Fibro-osseous tunnel at the wrist through which the ulnar nerve (and artery) enters the hand.

Carpal tunnel

Passageway formed by carpal bones (floor) and the flexor retinaculum (roof).

Carpal tunnel contents

Four FDS tendons, four FDP tendons, the flexor pollicis longus tendon, and the median nerve.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Compression of the median nerve within the carpal tunnel causing pain, numbness, and weakness in the lateral hand.

Anatomical snuff box

Triangular depression on the radial side of the wrist; bounded by EPL posteriorly and EPB + APL anteriorly; floor is the scaphoid; contains the radial artery.

Colles’ fracture

Fracture of the distal radius with posterior displacement after a FOOSH injury, producing a “dinner-fork” deformity.

Cubital tunnel syndrome

Ulnar nerve compression at the elbow causing weak wrist flexion/adduction, loss of DIP flexion of digits 4-5, and sensory loss in the medial 1.5 digits.

De Quervain tenosynovitis

Inflammation of the synovial sheath of the APL and EPB tendons in the first dorsal compartment.

Longus

Latin term meaning “long”; denotes a longer muscle compared with a brevis.

Brevis

Latin term meaning “short”; denotes a shorter muscle compared with a longus.

Profundus

Latin term meaning “deep”; indicates a muscle located deeper in a compartment.

Superficialis

Latin term meaning “superficial”; indicates a muscle closer to the surface.

Ulnaris

Name suffix indicating insertion or function on the ulnar (medial) side of the forearm or hand.

Radialis

Name suffix indicating insertion or function on the radial (lateral) side of the forearm or hand.

Carpi

Name element indicating action on the wrist.

Digitorum

Name element indicating a muscle that acts on multiple fingers.

Pollicis

Name element indicating a muscle that acts on the thumb.

Indicis

Name element indicating a muscle that acts on the index finger.

Digiti minimi

Name element indicating a muscle that acts on the little finger (5th digit).

Posterior interosseous nerve

Continuation of the deep branch of the radial nerve that supplies the posterior forearm muscles.