T A B L E 9 . 6 Muscles of the Anterior Fascial Compartment of the Forearm
Muscle Origin Insertion Nerve Supply
Nerve
Rootsa Action
Pronator Teres
Humeral head Medial epicondyle of
humerus
Lateral aspect of shaft
of radius
Median nerve C6, 7 Pronation and flexion of
forearm
Ulnar head Medial border of
coronoid process of
ulna
Flexor carpi
radialis
Medial epicondyle of
humerus
Bases of second and
third metacarpal
bones
Median nerve C6, 7 Flexes and abducts
hand at wrist joint
Palmaris
longus
Medial epicondyle of
humerus
Flexor retinaculum and
palmar aponeurosis
Median nerve C7, 8 Flexes hand
Flexor Carpi Ulnaris
Humeral head Medial epicondyle of
humerus
Pisiform bone, hook of
the hamate, base at
fifth metacarpal bone
Ulnar nerve C8; T1 Flexes and adducts
hand at wrist joint
Ulnar head Medial aspect of
olecranon process
and posterior border
of ulna
Flexor Digitorum Superficialis
Humeroulnar
head
Medial epicondyle of
humerus; medial
border of coronoid
process of ulna
Middle phalanx of
medial four fingers
Median nerve C7, 8; T1 Flexes middle phalanx
of fingers and assists
in flexing proximal
phalanx and hand
Radial head Oblique line on anterior
surface of shaft of
radius
Flexor pollicis
longus
Anterior surface of shaft
of radius
Distal phalanx of thumb Anterior interosseous
branch of median
nerve
C8; T1 Flexes distal phalanx of
thumb
Flexor
digitorum
profundus
Anteromedial surface of
shaft of ulna
Distal phalanges of
medial four fingers
Ulnar (medial half)
and median (lateral
half) nerves
C8; T1 Flexes distal phalanx
of fingers; then
assists in flexion of
middle and proximal
phalanges and wrist
Pronator
quadratus
Anterior surface of shaft
of ulna
Anterior surface of shaft
of radius
Anterior interosseous
branch of median
nerve
C8; T1 Pronates forearm