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The thenar eminence is the mound formed at the base of the thumb on the palm of the hand by the intrinsic group of muscles of the thumb. [1] The skin overlying this region is the area stimulated when trying to elicit a palmomental reflex. The word thenar comes from Ancient Greek θέναρ (thenar) 'palm of the hand'. [2]
The intrinsic muscles of the thumb can be divided into two groups; the thenar eminence and other muscles. The thenar eminence refers to the group of muscles on the palm at the base of the thumb. The three muscles composing the thenar eminence are the abductor pollicis brevis, flexor pollicis brevis and opponens pollicis. [5]
The human thumb also has other muscles in the thenar group (opponens and abductor brevis muscle), moving the thumb in opposition, making grasping possible. The extensors are located on the back of the forearm and are connected in a more complex way than the flexors to the dorsum of the fingers.
In the thenar eminence, the recurrent branch of the median nerve provides motor innervation to: [4] opponens pollicis muscle; abductor pollicis brevis muscle; superficial part of flexor pollicis brevis muscle; A separate, more proximal branch of the median nerve additionally provides motor innervation to the 1st and 2nd lumbricals of the hand.
The opponens pollicis muscle is one of the three thenar muscles. [1] It originates from the flexor retinaculum of the hand and the tubercle of the trapezium.It passes downward and laterally, and is inserted into the whole length of the metacarpal bone of the thumb on its radial side.
The abductor pollicis brevis is a flat, thin muscle located just under the skin. It is a thenar muscle, and therefore contributes to the bulk of the palm's thenar eminence. It originates from the flexor retinaculum of the hand, the tubercle of the scaphoid bone, and additionally sometimes from the tubercle of the trapezium.
Thumb, proximal phalanx: Artery: Superficial palmar arch: Nerve: Recurrent branch of the median nerve, deep branch of ulnar nerve (medial head) Actions: Flexes the thumb at the first metacarpophalangeal joint: Antagonist: Extensor pollicis longus and brevis: Identifiers; Latin: musculus flexor pollicis brevis: TA98: A04.6.02.055: TA2: 2522: FMA ...
The muscles of the thumb can be compared to guy-wires supporting a flagpole; tension from these muscular guy-wires must be provided in all directions to maintain stability in the articulated column formed by the bones of the thumb. Because this stability is actively maintained by muscles rather than by articular constraints, most muscles ...