Posterior compartment of the

forearm
wrist-carpi
fingers-digitorum
thumb-pollicis
longer-lungus
shorter-brevis
 Main menu
 Forearm = antebrachium
 Two bones: ulna and radius
 Two compartments: anterior (flexor) and posterior (extensor
 Each compartment has a superficial and deep groups
 Flexor compartment is innervated mainly by median nerve
 (median nerve for superficial part and anterior interosseus
nerve for deep group)
 Extensor compartment is innervated mainly by radial nerve
(posterior interosseus nerve after it has pierced supinator m.)
 1.Anconeus.
2.Brachioradialis.
3.Extensor Carpi Radialis Longus.
Superficial 4.Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis.
5.Extensor Carpi Ulnaris.
6.Extensor Digitorum.
7.Extensor Digiti Minimi.

8. Supinator.
9. Extensor Indicis.
Deep 10. Extensor Pollicis Longus.
11.Extensor Pollicis Brevis.
12. Abductor Pollicis Longus.
Superficial muscles of the posterior compartment.

1. Extensor carpi radialis longus

Anconeus
2.E xtensor digitotum
3 2 1
3. Extensor carpi ulnaris
2
4. Extensor digiti minimi
5. Anconeus
Brachioradialis and
extensor carpi brevis
4 are not included in the figure.

Fig 11. Superficial muscles of the posterior

compartment.
Extensor carpi radialis longus

Origin:- From the lower third of the lateral supracon

lower 1/3 of supracondylar ridge of humerus
Extensor dylar ridge of the humerus.
carpi
radialis
longus Insertion:- Posterior surface of the base of the seco

Extensor nd metacarpal bone.

carpi
radialis
brevis
Nerve supply:- Radial nerve, C6 and C7.
extension abduction
Extensor Action:- Extends and abducts the hand at the wrist j
carpi
ulnaris oint.
arterial supply:radial recurrent artery
Extensor carpi radialis brevis:

anterolateral surface of lateral epicondyle rigde of humerus

Origin:- From the common tendon attached to the late

ral epicondyle of the humerus.

Extensor
carpi
radialis Insertion:- Posterior surface of the base of the third m
longus
etacarpal bone. of
Extensor radial nerve
branch
carpi Nerve supply:- Posterior interosseous nerve, C7 and C
radialis
brevis 8.

Extensor Action:- Extends and abducts the hand at the wrist joi
carpi
ulnaris
nt.
arterial supply:radial artery
Extensor carpi ulnaris:

Origin:- From the common tendon attached to the late

ral epicondyle of the humerus.

Extensor
carpi
radialis Insertion:- Posterior surface of the base of the fifth m
longus
etacarpal bone.
Extensor branch of radial nerve
carpi Nerve supply:- Posterior interosseous nerve, C7 and C
radialis
brevis 8

Extensor Action:- Extends and adducts the hand at wrist joint.

carpi
ulnaris arterial supply:posterior interrosseous artery
Extensor digitorum: (communis)

Origin:- From the common tendon attached to the lateral

epicondyle of the humerus.

Insertion:- The muscle divides into four tendons which
pass to the fingers and form the dorsal expansion. O
n the dorsum of the hand these are interconnected
Extensor
by fibrous tissue. Near the proximal interphalangeal j
digitorum oint of each finger the expansions divide into the ce
ntral part, which inserts into base of the middle phal
anx, and the two lateral parts, which insert into the
base of the distal phalanx.
Extensor branch of radial
Nerve supply:- Posterior interosseous nerve, C7 and C8
digiti
minimi Action:- Mainly it extends the metacarpophalangeal joi
nt, but it also assists in extending the proximal and di
stal interphalangeal joint and the arm.
extends medial four fingers at MCP and IP joints

arterial supply:posterior interosseus artery

Extensor digiti minimi: (extensor digiti quinti proprius)
Origin:- From the common tendon attached to the later

al epicondyle of the humerus.

extensor expansion,immediately medial to extensor digitorum
Insertion:- to the dorsal expansion for the little finger.
Extensor
branch of radial nerve
digitorum Nerve supply:- Posterior interosseous nerve, C7 and C8

Action:- Assists in the extension of the little finger.

Extensor
digiti arterial supply:posterior interosseous artery
minimi
Brachioradialis:

Origin:- From the upper two thirds of

the lateral supracondylar ridge of th
e humerus.

Insertion:- Base of the styloid process

of the radius.

Nerve supply:- Radial nerve, C5 and C6.

Action:- flexion of the elbow joint whe

n the forearm is in the mid prone p
osition. flex elbow in mid prone position
arterial supply:radial recurrent artery
Anconeus:
This is the only short one muscle of the superfi
cial muscles, lies lateral to the olecranon.
Origin: from theback of the lateral epicondyle
of the humerus.
Insertion: in the triangular area on the lateral
surface of the olecranon and upper fourth o
f the posterior surface of the shaft of the uln
a.
Nerve supply: branch from radial nerve in the
spiral groove and branch from posterior inte
rosseous nerve.
and stabilizes
Action : it helps in extension of the elbow joint.
it abducts the ulna during pronation of the forearm
arterial supply:recurrent interosseous artery
Deep muscles in the posterior compartment:
The deep muscles of the forearm consist of:
Three muscles that act on the thumb
1 Extensor indicis
Supinator.
2 They all originate from the forearm bones except th
e supinator.
s
4 on the individual muscles

1. Supinator
2. Abductor pollicis longus.
3. Extensor pollicis longus.
4. Extensor indicis.
5. Extensor pollicis brevis.
Abductor pollicis longus:
interroseous membrane of the adjacent posterior
surface of the radius and ulna
Origin:- Middle of the posterior surface of the shaft

of the ulna and radius.

Abductor pollicis lateral side
Insertion:- Posterior surface of the base of the first
longus.

metacarpal bone.
Extensor
pollicis branch of radial
longus Nerve supply:- The posterior interosseous nerve, C7
Extensor
pollicis
and C8.
brevis

Action:- Abducts and extends the thumb.at the1st carpom-

etacarpal joints
it assists the extensor pollicis brevis in forming the inferior margin
of the ANATOMICAL STUFF BOX
Extensor pollicis longus :
Origin:- From the posterior surface of the ul
na. and interosseous membrane
Insertion:- Posterior surface of the base of t
Abductor pollicis he distal phalanx of the thumb.
of radial nerve
longus. Nerve supply:- The posterior interosseous n
erve, C7 and C8.
Extensor
pollicis
Action:- Extends the thumb. interphalangeal and first
metacarpophalangeal
longus joint
Extensor
pollicis
arterial supply:posterior interroseous artery
brevis
Extensor pollicis brevis :
And the
Origin:- Posterior surface of the radius.interroseous
membrane
of the base
Insertion:- Posterior surface of the proximal phalanx
Abductor pollicis
of the thumb
longus.
branch of radial
Nerve supply:- The posterior interosseous nerve, C7
Extensor
pollicis
longus and C8.
Extensor
pollicis
Action:- Extends the thumb. at the first metacarpophalangeal
brevis
joints

arterial supply:posterior interosseous artery

 Anatomical snuff box:
"Note"the scaphoid bone
forms the floor of the
anatomical snuff box
This is a depession on the late
ral side of the wrist.
Medial boundary :-is the t
endon of the extensor polli
cis longus
Lateral boundary :- is the
tendon of the abductor polli
cis longus and extensor pol
licis brevis.
PROXIMAL BORDER:styloid process of the radius
FLOOR:carpalm bones,scaphoid and trapezium
ROOF:skin

CONTENTS
radial artery clinical relevance:scaphoid fracture
superficial branch of radial nerve
cephalic vein
 Supinator:
The supinator consists of :oblique and a transverse heads.

Origin:-
Oblique head: From the lateral epicondyle of the humerus a
nd collateral ligament of the elbow joint.
Oblique Transverse head: Supinator crest of the ulna.
head

Insertion:- Both heads wind laterally around the proximal pa

rt of the radius, attaching to the anterior aspect of the radi
proximal lateral radius, at or superior to the oblique line
us.
branch of radial nerve
Nerve supply:- Posterior interosseous nerve, C6 and C7.
at the elbow joint
Action:- Supinates the forearm (mainly assists as the biceps
Transverse brachii is main supinator of the forearm).
head

arterial supply:radial recurrent artery

 Extensor indicis:

Origin:- Posterior surface of the ulna.

and interosseos membrane

extensor
Insertion:- Dorsal expansion of the inde
x finger

branch of radial
Extensor Nerve supply:- Posterior interosseous
indicis
nerve, C7 and C8.

Action:- Extends the index finger.

 Nerves in the posterior compartment
Nerves
The posterior compartment of the arm is supplied by bran
ches of the radial nerve.
Posterior interosseous nerve (Deep branch):
It arises from the radial nerve just in front of the lateral epi
condyle of the humerus. It enters the posterior compartm
Posteror
ent in between the two heads of the supinator.
interosseos Branches:
Posteror nerve
interossus Muscular branches: To most of the muscles of the posterior
artery compartment.
Articular branches: To the elbow, wrist and carpal joints.

Radial nerve:
Branches:
Muscular branches: supply the brachioradialis and the exten
sor carpi radialis longus.

Articular branches: To the elbow joint.

Extensor Retinaculum
 This is an oblique thickened ba
nd of deep fascia on the back o
f the wrist joint and carpus .
 Is attached laterally to the lowe
r part of the anterior border of
the shaft of the radius and exte
nds obliquely to the triquetral
and pisiform bones.
Flexor Retinaculum
 The retinaculum exists to provid
e stability and protection for ten
dons and nerves as they cross im
portant joints.
 Is a thick and strong fibrous ban
d which bridge over the carpal g
roove
 Is attached medially the pisiform
and hook of hamate and attache
d laterally scaphoid and trapeziu
m.
Palmar Aponeurosis
 This is a thicking of the deep fasci
a in the middle of the palm to pro
tect the underlying delicate struct
ures.
 It is a triangular fibrous sheet wit
h is apex directed upwards and its
base directed dwonwards.
it is made of longitudinal fibres and transverse fibres
intersecting the format