Archive for April, 2007
Neck pain| finger pain| extension of fingers
April 9, 2007 10:05 pmSunday, April 08, 2007
Neck pain| finger pain| extension of fingers
Patients with neck pain can have pain in the fingers with difficulty in finger extension (finger straightening).
Extension of the finger joints (proximal and distal interphalangeal joints) is performed by the lumbricals and interossei muscles.
Extension of the knuckle joints (metacarpophalangeal joints) is performed by the extensor digitorum. If the knuckle joints are hyperextended, the extensor digitorum is unable to extend the finger joints.
In such a situation, extension of the finger joints is primarily through the action of the interossei and lumbrical muscles. However if the knuckle joints are flexed, the extensor digitorum aids the action of the interossei and lumbrical muscles in extending the finger joints.
Nerve supply:
- first and second lumbrical muscles: median nerve (C8, T1)
- third and fourth lumbrical muscles: deep branch of ulnar nerve (C8, T1)
- palmar and dorsal interossei muscles: deep branch of ulnar nerve (C8, T1)
- extensor digitorum: posterior interosseous nerve (C7, C8)
Photograph showing finger extension
© 2007 copyright all rights reserved www.stopmusclepain.com neck pain| finger pain| extension of fingers
extension, fingers, median nerve, neck pain, radial nerve, ulnar nerve, upper body topicsNeck pain| Abduction of the fingers
April 7, 2007 8:58 pmSaturday, April 07, 2007
Neck pain| Abduction of the fingers
Patients with neck pain may have difficulty with spreading their fingers apart.
Abduction movement consists of spreading the fingers apart from one another away from the axis of the middle finger.
Abduction of the fingers is made possible by the contraction of:
- the dorsal interossei muscles supplied by the deep branch of the on the nerve.
- lumbrical muscles the first and second lumbrical muscles are supplied by the median nerve and the third and fourth lumbricals are supplied by the deep branch of the ulnar nerve.
- abductor digiti minimi supplied by ulnar nerve.
All these muscles are supplied by the C8 and T1 nerve roots.
© 2007 copyright all rights reserved www.stopmusclepain.com neck pain| lower back pain
Photograph showing the first dorsal interosseous muscle
Muscle pain| neck pain| little finger opposition
April 6, 2007 10:40 amFriday, April 06, 2007
Muscle pain| neck pain| little finger opposition
Patients with neck pain may have hand weakness from pain and spasm of muscles in the hand such that it may be difficult to oppose the little finger to the thumb.
For the little finger to move forward to meet the thumb, there must be elevation of the knuckle bone of the little finger. The palm of the hand must have also be brought into a cupping position.
The muscles responsible for opposition of the little finger are:
- opponens digiti minimi supplied by the deep branch of the ulnar nerve (C8, T1)
- flexor digiti minimi supplied by the deep branch of the ulnar nerve (C8, T1)
Photograph showing the act of little finger opposition (below)
© 2007 copyright all rights reserved www.stopmusclepain.com Muscle pain| neck pain| little finger oppoostion
little finger opposition, muscle pain, neck pain, thumb pain, upper body topicsMuscle pain| neck pain| finger adduction
April 5, 2007 7:00 pmThursday, April 05, 2007
Muscle pain| neck pain| finger adduction
Patients with neck pain may have weakness of the hand due to pain and spasm of muscles of the hand.
Finger adduction involves bringing the fingers tightly and close toward each other. In a normal situation, if a piece of paper is placed in between the fingers and if these muscles are strong, you will not be able to pull the paper out from between the fingers.
The muscles responsible for finger adduction are:
- palmar interossei muscles supplied by the deep branch of the ulnar nerve (C8, T1).
Photograph showing the location of palmar interossei muscles (below)
© 2007 copyright all rights reserved www.stopmusclepain.com Muscle pain| neck pain| thumb extension
finger adduction, muscle pain, neck pain, thumb pain, upper body topicsMuscle pain| neck pain| thumb opposition
April 4, 2007 9:23 pmMuscle pain| neck pain| thumb extension
April 3, 2007 4:50 pmTuesday, April 03, 2007
Muscle pain| neck pain| thumb extension
Patients with neck pain and discomfort may complain of thumb pain with difficulty in moving the painful thumb into extension.
Extension of the thumb is the movement in which the thumb moves away from the plane of the palm.
The movements of the thumb in extension are primarily performed by:
- extensor pollicis longus supplied by the posterior interosseous branch of the radial nerve (C7, C8)
- extensor pollicis brevis supplied by the posterior interosseous branch of the radial nerve (C7, C8)
The extensor pollicis longus: Main action is to straighten the tip of the thumb and secondary action is to straighten the joint between the wrist bone and the knuckle bone known as the metacarpo-phalangeal joint.
The extensor pollicis brevis: Main action is to straighten the thumb at the metacarpophalangeal joint. Its secondary function is to straighten the thumb by acting at the joint between the wrist bone and the knuckle bone known as the carpometacarpal joint.
Associated arthritis with pain at the base of the thumb is very common. The pain can be made worse by pain and spasm in all muscles that cross or act upon the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb.
Photographshowing the extensor pollicis brevis and abductor pollicis longus
© 2007 copyright all rights reserved www.stopmusclepain.com Muscle pain| neck pain| thumb extension
muscle pain, neck pain, radial nerve, thumb pain, upper body topicsMuscle pain| neck pain| thumb abduction
April 2, 2007 9:08 amMonday, April 02, 2007
Muscle pain| neck pain| thumb abduction
Patients with neck pain and discomfort may complain of pain in the thumb region with difficulties in moving the painful thumb in abduction.
Pain at the base of the thumb can be felt in cases of pain and spasm in the muscles that arise or attach or cross over the region of the wrist bone of the thumb and knuckle bone of the thumb known as the carpometacarpal phalangeal joint.
Thumb abduction consists of moving the thumb in a 90° angle away from the plane of the palm with the palm facing upward.
The muscles involve in thumb abduction consists of:
- abductor pollicis brevis supplied by the median nerve (C8, T1)
- flexor pollicis brevis, superficial head supplied by the median nerve and deep head supplied by the ulnar nerve (C8 and T1)
- abductor pollicis longus supplied by the radial nerve (C7, C8)
- opponens pollicis supplied by the median nerve (C8, T1).
Photograph showing the abductor pollicis brevis (below)
© 2007 copyright all rights reserved www.stopmusclepain.com Muscle pain| neck pain| thumb abduction
median nerve, muscle pain, neck pain, radial nerve, thumb pain, ulnar nerve, upper body topicsMuscle pain| neck pain| thumb tip flexion
April 1, 2007 9:03 pmSunday, April 01, 2007
Muscle pain| neck pain| thumb tip flexion
Patients with neck pain and discomfort may complain of pain in the thumb region with difficulties in moving the painful thumb muscles.
Bending the tip of the thumb involves primarily the flexor pollicis longus muscle.
The best way to test the action of this muscle is to have the thumb at the side of the index finger in a position of adduction. Now if you bend the tip of the thumb, the motion of the flexor pollicis longus is isolated.
This muscle is important because it can to aid as an adductor of the thumb, when the adductor pollicis is not functioning due to injury to the ulnar nerve.
In a situation where the adductor pollicis is weak, if a piece of paper is placed between the thumb and index finger, you can easily pull away the piece of paper. Normally, the action of the adductor pollicis will be strong enough to prevent the piece of paper from being pulled out. However, when the flexor pollicis longus starts to contract to bend the tip of the thumb, you cannot easily pull out the piece of paper. This is called Froment’s sign.
The flexor pollicis longus has now substituted to perform the action of the adductor pollicis. The action of the flexor pollicis longus can also be aided by the action of the flexor pollicis brevis and the abductor pollicis brevis.
© 2007 copyright all rights reserved www.stopmusclepain.com Muscle pain| neck pain| thumb flexion
Photograph showing the flexor pollicis longus (below)
