Flexor digitorum profundus muscle
Overview
In human anatomy, the flexor digitorum profundus is a muscle in the forearm that flexes the fingers. It is considered to be an extrinsic muscle because its action is at a different location than the main body of the muscle.
Flexor digitorum profundus, along with flexor digitorum superficialis have long tendons that run down the arm and through the carpal tunnel and attach to the palmar side of the phalanges of the fingers. This muscle originates from the anterior side of the ulna.
Flexor digitorum profundus lies deep to superficialis, but it attaches more distally. To get around this problem profundus's tendons go through the tendons of superficialis, and end up attaching to the distal phalanx.
Innervation
Flexor digitorum profundus is innervated by the median and ulnar nerves.
- The medial aspect of the muscle (which flexes the 4th and 5th digit) is supplied by the ulnar nerve (C8, T1)
- The lateral aspect (which flexes the 2nd and 3rd digit) by the median nerve (via its anterior interosseous branch) (C8, T1).
It is one of two flexor muscles that is not exclusively supplied by the median nerve (the other is flexor carpi ulnaris).
Additional images
Bones of left forearm. Anterior aspect.
Bones of left forearm. Posterior aspect.
Bones of the left hand. Volar surface.
Front of the left forearm. Deep muscles.
Cross-section through the middle of the forearm.
Posterior surface of the forearm. Deep muscles.
Transverse section across distal ends of radius and ulna.
Transverse section across the wrist and digits.
The mucous sheaths of the tendons on the front of the wrist and digits.
Ulnar and radial arteries. Deep view.
Tendons of forefinger and vincula tendina. (Flexor digitorum profundus labeled at bottom right.)
External links
Template:Muscles of upper limb
ca:Múscul flexor profund dels dits de:Musculus flexor digitorum profundus hu:Mély ujjakat hajlító izom nl:Musculus flexor digitorum profundus sv:Flexor digitorum profundus Template:WikiDoc Sources Template:WH