Hand Nerves: Learn About The Most Important Of Them
The fingertips are one of the most innervated areas in the body. In today’s article, we present the most important hand nerves you should know.
The nerves of the hand are a real miracle of nature! The fingertips are one of the most innervated areas in any human body. That is why they are the main source of tactile information.
The main nerves of the hand
For teaching purposes, the hand nerves are usually divided into two groups: those that dominate the back of the hand and those that are located on the palm side. However, they are not separate from each other. On the contrary: they form a jointly connected nervous network.
Hand nerves are responsible for transmitting sensory information to the brain. In addition, they are also involved in moving the hands, fingers and arms. Later in the article we will list the most important of them and explain their operation.
1. Median nerve
The median nerve is the sensorimotor nerve. It innervates the muscles of the forearm and palm. It consists of two parts: internal and external. The outer leg of this nerve leads to the point where the hand meets the thumb. In addition, the outer part of this nerve connects to the palmar nerve of the index finger.
In turn, its inner part connects to the inner nerve of the index finger. In addition, the outer and inner nerves of the hands and fingers connect to the third finger, and the external nerves to the fourth. It is responsible for feeling in the outer half of the hand.
The median nerve innervates the radial flexor muscle of the wrist, the long palmar muscle and the superficial flexor muscle of the fingers. Due to its location, it can be damaged due to pressure from the adjacent structure in different places.
2. The ulnar nerve
The ulnar nerve is considered a joint nerve. This means that it combines motor and sensory fibers. It has an outer leg that rests on the hook bone of the wrist.
It connects to the short palmar muscle and divides into the middle finger and half of the fingers. In addition, it connects to the third and fourth ascaris muscles of the hand and all the interosseous muscles of the hands and the interosseous muscle of the back.
This nerve innervates only two muscles in the forearm: the wrist flexor elbow and the medial deep flexor muscle of the fingers.
It innervates mainly the hand muscles. It is responsible for the sensitivity in the elbow part of the palm and the back , as well as in the fourth and fifth fingers.
3. Radial nerve
One of the main nerves in the hand is the radial nerve. It fits in the palm of your hand. It innervates the dorsal part of the hand, the dorsal part of the thumb, index finger, middle finger, and the lateral part of the ring finger, excluding the nail matrix.
It’s a sensorimotor nerve. It mainly takes part in the straightening movements of the elbow, wrist and fingers. In addition, it supports forearm supination. In other words, it helps to rotate an area in and out.
It innervates several muscles, including the triceps. In addition, it also innervates the dorsal muscles of the shoulder (the triceps muscle of the shoulder and the elbow muscle) and the external extensors of the wrists and hands. Besides, it also innervates the long head, the medial head and the lateral head of the triceps brachii muscle.
4. Cutaneous radial nerve
It is located on the back of the hand. This nerve passes through the aponeurosis of the forearm, which is the layer of muscle found in this area. It passes under the tendon of the brachio-radial muscle. It then connects to the radial motor tendon at the elbow.
The radial cutaneous nerve innervates the phalanx of the thumb and the first phalanx of the index finger. In addition, also the outer side of the first phalanx of the middle finger and the back of the hand.
5. Cutaneous ulnar nerve
It connects to the dorsal branch of the ulnar nerve. It innervates the inner part of the middle finger and the nail edge of the ring finger on its inner side. Besides, the inner and outer edges of the little finger.
