Muscles of the upper limb

Muscles of the Upper Limb

The upper limb or upper extremity is the region in a vertebrate animal extending from the deltoid region up to and including the hand, which comprises the arm, forearm and hand. It includes several groups of muscles including the shoulder muscles, arm muscles, forearm muscles, and hand muscles.

Shoulder Muscles

The shoulder muscles, also known as the pectoral muscles, are a group of muscles that connect the upper limb to the axial skeleton. They include the deltoid muscle, the pectoralis major, the pectoralis minor, and the subclavius.

Arm Muscles

The arm muscles are located between the shoulder and the elbow joint. They include the biceps brachii, the brachialis, and the triceps brachii.

Forearm Muscles

The forearm muscles are responsible for the movements of the wrist and fingers. They are divided into two compartments: the anterior compartment, which includes the flexor muscles, and the posterior compartment, which includes the extensor muscles.

Hand Muscles

The hand muscles are divided into two groups: the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles. The extrinsic muscles, which include the flexor digitorum superficialis, flexor digitorum profundus, and extensor digitorum, are responsible for the gross movements of the hand and fingers. The intrinsic muscles, which include the interossei, lumbricals, and thenar muscles, are responsible for the fine movements of the fingers.

See Also

• Muscular system
• Human anatomy
• Upper limb anatomy