Dance Anatomy & Kinesiology

The Upper Extremity 429

indicate their action, location, or both. To aid with

picturing the action of the muscles of the wrist and

hand, remember to think about the line of pull of

the respective muscles in reference to anatomical

position with the forearm supinated and the palm

facing forward. In this position, there is a logical

arrangement of the muscles such that the flexors are

located on the front while the extensors are located

on the back of the forearm, wrist, and hand.

Another helpful organizational clue for the wrist is

that the primary flexors of the wrist arise proximally

from around the medial epicondyle of the humerus,

Muscle Proximal attachment(s) Distal attachment(s) Primary action(s)

Extrinsic muscles of fingers

Flexor digitorum profundus
(FLEK-sor di-ji-TOR-um pro-FUN-dus)

Proximal three-quarters

of anterior and medial

ulna

Base of distal phalanges

of fingers 2 through 5

Flexion of fingers and hand

(MP and distal IP joints of

fingers 2-5)

Assists with wrist flexion

Flexor digitorum superficialis
(FLEK-sor di-ji-TOR-um soo-per-fish-ee-A-lis)

Medial epicondyle of

humerus and proximal

anterior radius

Middle phalanges of

fingers 2 through 5

Flexion of fingers and hand

(MP and proximal IP joints

of fingers 2-5)

Assists with wrist flexion

Extensor digitorum
(ek-STEN-sor di-ji-TOR-um)

Lateral epicondyle of

humerus

Base of distal and middle

phalanges of fingers 2

through 5

Extension of fingers (MP,

proximal IP, and distal IP

joints of fingers 2-5)

Assists with wrist extension

Extensor indicis
(ek-STEN-sor IN-di-kis)

Distal posterior ulna Extensor expansion of

2nd finger

Extension of 2nd finger (MP,

proximal IP, and distal IP

joints of 2nd finger)

Assists with wrist extension

Extensor digiti minimi
(ek-STEN-sor DI-ji-tie MI-ni-my)

Lateral epicondyle of

humerus

Extensor expansion of

5th finger

Extension of 5th finger (MP,

proximal IP, and distal IP

joints of 5th finger)

Assists with wrist extension

Extrinsic muscles of thumb (pollex)

Flexor pollicis longus
(FLEK-sor PAH-li-kis LON-gus)

Middle anterior radius Base of distal phalanx of

thumb

Flexion of thumb (CMC, MP,

and IP joints of thumb)

Assists with opposition of

thumb and wrist flexion

Extensor pollicis longus
(ek-STEN-sor PAH-li-kis LON-gus)

Middle posterior ulna Base of distal phalanx of

thumb

Extension of thumb (CMC,

MP, and IP joints of thumb)

Assists with wrist extension

and radial deviation

Extensor pollicis brevis
(ek-STEN-sor PAH-li-kis BRE-vis)

Middle posterior radius Base of proximal phalanx

of thumb

Extension of thumb (CMC

and IP joints of thumb)

Assists with abduction of

thumb (CMC joint of thumb)

Assists with wrist radial

deviation

Abductor pollicis longus
(ab-DUK-tor PAH-li-kis LON-gus)

Middle posterior ulna

and radius

Radial side of base of

1st metacarpal

Abduction of thumb (CMC

joint of thumb)

Assists with extension

of thumb (CMC joint of

thumb), wrist flexion, and

wrist radial deviation

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