Artery Ulnar artery | Nerve root C8 and T1 | |
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Origin Medial epicondyle (common flexor tendon) and medial margin on olecranon of ulna Insertion Pisiform, hook of the hamate, base of the fifth metacarpal bone Nerve Muscular branches of ulnar nerve Actions Flexion and adduction of wrist | ||
The flexor carpi ulnaris muscle (or FCU) is a muscle of the human forearm that acts to flex and adduct (medial deviation) the hand.
Contents
Origin and insertion
Flexor carpi ulnaris muscle arises by two heads, humeral and ulnar, connected by a tendinous arch beneath which the ulnar nerve and artery pass.
Its insertion is into the pisiform bone and then via ligaments into the hamate bone-g pisohamate ligament- and 5th metacarpal bone-forming pisometacarpal ligament. Its action is to flex and adduct the wrist joint.
Innervation
The flexor carpi ulnaris muscle is innervated by the ulnar nerve which has its roots in the C8 and T1 spinal nerves.
Tendon
The tendon of flexor carpi ulnaris can be seen on the anterior of the distal forearm. On a person's distal forearm, right before the wrist, there will be either two or three tendons. The tendon of the flexor carpi ulnaris is the most medial (closest to the little finger) of these. The most lateral one is the tendon of flexor carpi radialis muscle, and the middle one, not always present, is the tendon of palmaris longus.
Exercises
The muscle, like all flexors of the forearm, can be strengthened by exercises that resist its flexion. A wrist roller can be used and wrist curls with dumbbells can also be performed. These exercises are used to prevent injury to the ulnar collateral ligament of elbow joint.
Disease
Ulnar entrapment by the aponeurosis of the two heads of the flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU) muscle may cause cubital tunnel syndrome.