The muscles of the anterior compartment of the forearm are responsible for:

  • Movements of the wrist joint
  • Flexion of the fingers
  • Pronation

They can be divided into superficial, intermediate, and deep layers.

Superficial layer

Four muscles are found in this layer, and they all originate from the medial epicondyle of the humerus, and, except for the pronator teres, they all arrive at the hand:

  • Flexor carpi ulnaris
  • Flexor carpi radialis
  • Palmaris longus
  • Pronator teres
Figure 1. Presentation of the superficial muscles of the anterior left forearm
Figure 2. Superficial muscles of the forearm (and the biceps brachii, brachioradialis and flexor digitorum longus muscles)

Flexor carpi ulnaris muscle

  • The flexor carpi ulnaris muscle lies medially, having an origin from the olecranon and posterior border of the ulna, besides the humeral one.
  • It consists of two heads (humeral and ulnar) which have a strict

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