A summary for learning the muscles of the upper limb including their attachments, innervation, etc., without having to have too many books open. Resources: "Gray’s Anatomy", "Taschenatlas der Anatomie" and Wikipedia. Awaiting further proof-reading!

1. C. Riedinger ­ An easy way to learn muscles
Muscles of the arm
layer /
name meaning body part origin insertion nerve supply blood supply function
location
long head: supraglenoid
via common tendon into
tubercle of scapula
the bicipical tuberosity supinator of forearm
(through sleeve of
of radius. Medial side: when elbow is flexed,
synovial tissue in
anterior, via bicipital flexes elbow in fully
biceps brachii biceps of the arm arm intertubercular /bicipital musculocutaneous brachial artery
superficial aponeurosis into deep supinated position.
groove of humerus,
fascia of medial forearm Shoulder: stabilises and
short head: coracoid
and subcutaneous minor flexion
process, joins long head
border of ulna
midway down arm
distal half of anterior
anterior, via strong tendon into
humeral shaft and radial recurrent
brachialis muscle of the arm arm intermediat coronoid process of musculocutaneous flexor of elbow
medial intermuscular artery
e ulna
septum
adducts shoulder (to
tip of coracoid process
muscle of the arm anterior, medial aspect mid­shaft hold things under arm),
coracobrachialis arm of scapula (with short musculocutaneous brachial artery
and coracoid process deep of humerus weak flexor of shoulder
head of biceps)
joint
long head: infraglenoid
tubercle of scapula,
posterior,
muscle of arm with lateral and medial head: tendon to olecranon deep brachial
triceps brachii arm single radial nerve extends elbow
three heads posterior surface of process of ulna artery
muscle
humerus, medial head
in lateral groove
posterior aspect of
muscle attached to forearm / posterior, assists extension of
anconeous lateral epicondyle of lateral side of olecranon radial nerve
elbow arm superficial elbow
humerus
Anterior Posterior
long head short head
lateral head
long head
coracobrachialis
biceps
brachii
triceps
brachii
medial head
brachialis
anconeus
(musculocutaneous nerve) (radial nerve)

2. C. Riedinger ­ An easy way to learn muscles
Muscles of the forearm (anterior side)
layer /
name meaning body part origin insertion nerve supply blood supply function
location
maximum convexity of
CFO and distal part of
radius at midpoint of
the supradcondylar
lateral aspect of bone
anterior, ridge of humerus, deep: ulnar and radial pronates the forearm,
pronator teres cylindrical pronator forearm (I.e. halfway along median nerve
superficial medial aspect of artery (also flexes elbow)
forearm, mid­shaft,
coronoid process of
roughening of lateral
ulna
surface)
with FCU to flex wrist,
flexor of carpal anterior, bases of the 2nd and with radial extensors to
flexor carpi radialis forearm CFO median nerve ulnar artery
bones on radial side superficial 3rd metacarpals abduct the wrist,
stabilises wrist
palmar aponeurosis,
anterior, superficial tendon tenses palmar fascia
palmaris longus long palmar muscle forearm CFO median nerve ulnar artery
superficial adherent to flexor and flexes the wrist
retinaculum
pisiform (=sesamoid
bone in its tendon!) with
extension to hook of
CFO and medial margin hamate (pisohamate
flexor of carpal anterior, adducts and flexes the
flexor carpi ulnaris forearm of olecranon process of ligament) and base of ulnar nerve ulnar artery
bones on ulnar side superficial wrist
ulna 5th metacarpal
(pisometacarpal
ligament), and aspect of
flexor retinaculum
4 tendons through carpal
humeral head: ant aspect tunnel for fingers 2­5.
of medial epicondyle of Tendon inserts at base of
strong flexor of wrist
anterior, humerus via CFO,
middle phalanx.
flexor digitorum superficial flexor of and fingers (not distal
forearm intermediat ulnar head: coronoid Decussation on lateral median nerve ulnar artery
superficialis fingers interphalangeal joint),
e process of ulna, also: and medial aspects of
weak flexor of elbow
extended origin from proximal phalanges for
radius FDP tendons to pass
through
Superficial and intermediate layer
LAT MED
pronator teres
head of ulna:
olecranon
trochlear
notch
coracoid
process of ulna
brachioradials flexor digitorum superficials (FDS)
(see post. forearm,
radial nerve)
ulnar
head
flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU)
flexor carpi radialis (FCR)
(palmaris longus not drawn)
(all median nerve but FCU which is ulnar nerve)

3. C. Riedinger ­ An easy way to learn muscles
Muscles of the forearm (anterior side ­ 2)
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Deep layer
LAT MED
flexor digitorum profundus (FDP)
flexor pollicis
longus
pronator quadratus
(all median nerve but FDP, which is 1/2 ulnar nerve)

4. C. Riedinger ­ An easy way to learn muscles
Muscles of the forearm (posterior side)
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Superficial layer
brachioradialis
(radial nerve)
MED LAT MED LAT
(all me)
Extensor digitorum
communis (EDC)
extensor carpi radialis
longus (ECRl)
Extensor digiti
extensor carpi radialis Extensor carpi minimi (EDM)
brevis (ECRb) ulnaris (ECU)
(All post. interosseous branch of radial nerve, except brachioradialis which is radial nerve proper.)

5. C. Riedinger ­ An easy way to learn muscles
Muscles of the forearm (posterior side ­ 2)
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Deep layer
MED LAT
(all me)
supinator
abductor pollicis longus
extensor pollicis
longus
extensor indicis extensor pollicis brevis
(All post. interosseous branch of radial nerve)

6. C. Riedinger ­ An easy way to learn muscles
Muscles of the hand (palmar/anterior side)
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dorsal expansion:
EDC
(all me)
FDP tendon
lumbricals (ulnar one nearly always multipennate,
others unipennate, depends on which nerve supplies them!
dorsal interossei (DAB = abduct, bipennate)
palmar interossei (PAD=adduct, unipennate)

7. C. Riedinger ­ An easy way to learn muscles
Muscles of the hand (palmar/anterior side, eminences)
layer /
name meaning body part origin insertion nerve supply blood supply function
location
transverse: anterior body
of 3rd metacarpal,
thenar medial side of the base
oblique: bases of 2nd ulnar nerve (deep
adductor pollicis adductor of thumb hand eminence, of the proximal phalanx depp palmar arch adducts thumb
and 3rd metacarpals motor branch)
deep of thumb
and adjacent trapezoid
and capitate bones
thenar transverse carpal radial base of proximal
abductor pollicis superficial palmar
abductor of thumb hand eminence, ligament, scaphoid and phalanx of thumb and median nerve abducts thumb
brevis arch
lateral trapezium thumb extensors
thenar
trapezoid, flexor thumb, proximal superficial palmar
flexor pollicis brevis short thumb flexor hand eminence, median nerve flexes thumb
retinaculum phalanx arch
medial
thenar trapezium and
opposing muscle of metacarpal bone of superficial palmar moves thumb against
opponens pollicis hand eminence, transverse carpal median nerve
thumb thumb on its radial side arch little finger
deep ligament
hypo­
abductor of little thenar base of proximal ulnar nerve (deep
abductor digiti minimi hand pisiform ulnar artery abducts little finger
finger eminence, phalanx of little finger motor branch)
superficial
hypo­ ulnar side of base of
flexor digiti minimi ulnar nerve (deep
flexor of little finger hand thenar hamate bone proximal phalanx of ulnar artery flexes little finger
(brevis) motor branch)
eminence little finger
opposing muscle of
hypothenar hook of hamate and medial border of 5th ulnar nerve (deep moves little finger
opponens digiti minimi little finger (places hand ulnar artery
eminence flexor retinaculum metacarpal motor branch) against thumb
against sth else)
Thenar eminence Hypothenar eminence:
(all me)
(whole muscles
visible on hand:)
Opponens pollicis Opponens digiti minimi
Abductor pollicis brevis (always median) Abductor digiti minimi
Flexor pollicis brevis Flexor digiti minimi brevis
Adductor pollicis (does not need adductor since it has interossei)