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Flexor digitorum superficialis muscle

Forearm muscle that flexes the fingers

Field	Value
Name	Flexor digitorum superficialis
Latin	musculus flexor digitorum superficialis
Image	Gray421.png
Caption	Transverse section across distal ends of radius and ulna. (Flexor dig. subliminis labeled at center top.)
Image2	Gray — musculus flexor digitorum superficialis.png
Caption2	Flexor digitorum superficialis
Origin	Medial epicondyle of the humerus (common flexor tendon) as well as parts of the radius and ulna
Insertion	Anterior margins on the base of the middle phalanges of the four fingers
Blood	Radial artery
Nerve	Median nerve
Action	Flexor of fingers (primarily at proximal interphalangeal joints)
Antagonist	Extensor digitorum muscle

Flexor digitorum superficialis (flexor digitorum sublimis) or flexor digitorum communis sublimis is an extrinsic flexor muscle of the fingers at the proximal interphalangeal joints.

It is in the anterior compartment of the forearm. It is sometimes considered to be the deepest part of the superficial layer of this compartment, and sometimes considered to be a distinct, "intermediate layer" of this compartment. It is relatively common for the flexor digitorum superficialis to be missing from the little finger, bilaterally and unilaterally, which can cause problems when diagnosing a little finger injury.

Structure

The muscle has two classically described heads – the humeroulnar and radial – and it is between these heads that the median nerve and ulnar artery pass. The ulnar collateral ligament of elbow joint gives its origin to part of this muscle.

Four long tendons come off this muscle near the wrist and travel through the carpal tunnel formed by the flexor retinaculum. These tendons, along with those of flexor digitorum profundus, are enclosed by a common flexor sheath. The tendons attach to the anterior margins on the bases of the intermediate phalanges of the four fingers. These tendons have a split (Camper's Chiasm) at the end of them through which the tendons of flexor digitorum profundus pass.

Innervation

The flexor digitorum superficialis muscle is innervated by the median nerve (C7, C8, T1).

Function

The primary function of flexor digitorum superficialis is flexion of the middle phalanges of the four fingers (excluding the thumb) at the proximal interphalangeal joints, however under continued action it also flexes the metacarpophalangeal joints and wrist joint.

To test flexor digitorum superficialis, one finger is flexed at the proximal interphalangeal joint against resistance, while the remaining three fingers are held fully extended (to inactivate flexor digitorum profundus).

Additional images

File:Gray416.png|Tendons of forefinger and vincula tendina. File:Gray417_color.PNG|Cross-section through the middle of the forearm. File:Carpal-Tunnel.svg|Transverse section across the wrist and digits. File:Gray423.png|The mucous sheaths of the tendons on the front of the wrist and digits. File:Gray427.png|The muscles of the left hand. Palmar surface. File:Gray527.png|The radial and ulnar arteries. File:Musculusflexordigitorumsuperficialis.png File:Muscles of forearm.jpg|Flexor digitorum superficialis muscle File:Slide9r.JPG|Flexor digitorum superficialis muscle File:Slide5q.JPG|Flexor digitorum superficialis muscle File:Slide3GGG.JPG|Flexor digitorum superficialis muscle File:Slide7RRR.JPG|Flexor digitorum superficialis muscle File:Muscles of upper limb.(cross section - human cadaver).jpg|Muscles of upper limb. Cross section.

References

https://www.anatomyatlases.org/atlasofanatomy/plate18/02flexorforearm.shtml {{Bare URL inline. (August 2025)
{{MedicalMnemonics. 273. 1117
"Dissector Answers – Forearm & Wrist".
"uams.edu".
(June 2010). "J Hand Surg Eur". Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume).
(2019-01-15). "Gray's Anatomy for Students E-Book: Gray's Anatomy for Students E-Book". Elsevier Health Sciences.
(January 2015). "Flexor tendon injury, repair and rehabilitation.". Orthopedic Clinics of North America.

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

muscles-of-the-upper-limb forearm

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