Hand Exam: Motor 11/13 – Extensor Carpi Radialis Longus (ECRL) and Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis (ECRB)

Extensor Carpi Radialis Longus (ECRL)

  • Instruct the patient “Make a fist and strongly bring your wrist back” and palpate over the tendons
  • Insertion: base of 2nd metacarpal
  • Action: radial deviation of wrist and some wrist extension too
  • Innervation: radial nerve

Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis (ECRB)

  • Instruct the patient “Make a fist and strongly bring your wrist back” and palpate over the tendons
  • Insertion: base of 3rd metacarpal
  • Action: wrist extension (this is the major muscle for that)
  • Innervation: deep branch of radial nerve

The 13 muscle groups you need to test in the hand exam:

  1. FPL
  2. FDP
  3. FDS
  4. Thenar muscles
  5. Interosseous
  6. Hypothenar muscles
  7. EPB and APL
  8. EPL
  9. EDC
  10. EIP and EDM
  11. ECRL and ECRB
  12. ECU
  13. Adductor Pollicis

2 thoughts on “Hand Exam: Motor 11/13 – Extensor Carpi Radialis Longus (ECRL) and Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis (ECRB)

  1. Pingback: Hand Exam: Motor 13/13 – Adductor Pollicis | Sketchy Medicine

  2. Pingback: Hand Exam: Motor 2/13 – Flexor Digitorum Profundus (FDP) | Sketchy Medicine

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