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Muscles that Move the Forearm

Muscles that Move the Forearm

The muscles that move the forearms can be divided into four groups: forearm flexors, forearm extensors, forearm pronators, and forearm supinators. The flexors and extensors act on the elbow joint, while the pronators and supinators act on the radioulnar joints.
Forearm Flexors
The biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis are forearm flexors. The biceps brachii is made up of two heads. Its long head originates at the supraglenoid tubercle of the scapula, whereas that of the short head is...

Bones of the Upper Limb: Radius

Bones of the Upper Limb: Radius

The radius is longer of the two bones that make up the human antebrachium or forearm. At the proximal end, the radius articulates with the capitulum of the humerus and the radial notch of the ulna to form the elbow joint. At the distal end, the radius articulates with the ulna via the ulnar notch, forming the distal radioulnar joint. Distally, the radius also attaches to the carpal wrist bones (scaphoid and lunate) to form the radiocarpal joint.
The radius has a nail-shaped head, and a short...

Bones of the Upper Limb: Ulna

Bones of the Upper Limb: Ulna

The ulna and radius are parallel bones of the antebrachium or the forearm. The ulna lies medially and consists of a bony tip called the olecranon process at its proximal end. This hook-like projection articulates with the olecranon fossa of the humerus and forms the "hinged" ulnohumeral part of the elbow joint. This joint facilitates forearm extension and flexion while preventing its hyperextension. Similarly, the coronoid process, another bony projection on the proximal/anterior side of the...

Bones of the Upper Limb: Humerus

Bones of the Upper Limb: Humerus

The upper limb consists of the arm, forearm, wrist, and hand bones. The humerus is the single bone of the upper arm region. Proximally, it has a large, spherical, smooth head that articulates with the glenoid cavity of the scapula to form the glenohumeral or shoulder joint. The margin of the head is the anatomical neck, a residual epiphyseal plate. Laterally it extends to form bony projections called the greater tubercle and the lesser tubercle. Next to the tubercles is the surgical neck, a...

Changes in the Appendicular Skeleton with Age

Changes in the Appendicular Skeleton with Age

The upper and lower limb initially develops as a small bulge called a limb bud, which appears on the lateral side of the early embryo. The upper limb bud appears near the end of the fourth week of development, with the lower limb bud appearing shortly after.
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Related Experiment Video

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Proximal Cadaveric Femur Preparation for Fracture Strength Testing and Quantitative CT-based Finite Element Analysis

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Technical note: Forearm pronation efficiency analysis in skeletal remains.

Ignasi Galtés¹, Xavier Jordana, Assumpció Malgosa

¹Unitat d'Antropologia Biològica, Departament de Biologia Animal, Biologia Vegetal i Ecologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.

American Journal of Physical Anthropology

|August 13, 2009

Summary

This study introduces a new method to measure forearm-pronation efficiency using skeletal remains. Pronator teres efficiency varies with elbow position, offering insights into primate limb evolution.

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Area of Science:

Biomechanics
Paleoanthropology
Primate Anatomy

Background:

Forearm pronation is crucial for upper limb function.
Quantifying pronation efficiency from skeletal remains is challenging.
Understanding variations in pronation efficiency can illuminate primate evolution.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop an original methodology for analyzing forearm-pronation efficiency from skeletal remains.
To investigate the influence of elbow joint position on pronator teres efficiency.
To compare pronation efficiency between human and nonhuman hominoids.

Main Methods:

A biomechanical model defining rotational efficiency based on the pronator teres origin and insertion.
Utilizing humeral distal epiphysis photography to obtain geometrical parameters.
Analyzing rotational efficiency in human and siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus) specimens at 180 and 90 degrees elbow flexion.

Main Results:

Forearm-pronation efficiency, calculated via the new methodology, varies across the rotational range.
Pronation efficiency is dependent on the elbow joint's position.
The siamang exhibits less sensitivity of pronator teres rotational efficiency to forearm flexion compared to humans.

Conclusions:

The developed methodology allows for the quantification of forearm-pronation efficiency from skeletal remains.
Elbow position significantly impacts forearm-pronation efficiency in both humans and siamangs.
This approach provides a novel tool for interpreting the functional and evolutionary significance of primate upper-limb skeletal design.