Wrist flexors

Figure 19-22 Phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectra of wrist flexor muscles of the forearm of a trained long-distance runner at rest and during contraction at three different levels of exercise. Ergometer measurements indicating the percent of initial maximum strength (% max) were recorded over each 6-min period. Spectra were obtained during the last 3 min of each period. Times of spectral data collection A, resting B, 4—6 min C, 10-12 min and D, 16-18 min. The pH ranged from 6.9 to 7.0. From Park et al.288...

Lieber, R.L., Fazeli, B.M., and Botte, M.J. (1990). Architecture of selected wrist flexor and extensor muscles. /. Hand Surg. 15 244-250. 

Examination The patient has moderate atrophy of the left upper arm and forearm, and slight atrophy on the right. Fasciculations are evident in all four limbs. He has mild-moderate weakness of both biceps, and left triceps, and both wrist flexors and extensors. The lower limbs are strong to manual... 

Valls-Sol6 and Hallett (1995) also presented evidence for an impaired integration of sensory inputs into the voluntary motor activity during performance of a force-related task in patients with writer s cramp. Normal (control) subjects and patients activated wrist flexor and extensor muscles to maintain a predetermined level of force rather than relying mainly on wrist flexor. These results are compatible with our findings in the effects of wrist angle on the perceived muscle soreness. 

Valls-Sol6 J., Hallett M. (1995) Modulation of electromyographic activity of wrist flexor and extensor muscles in patients with writer s cramp. Mov Disord, 10, 741-8. 

The wrist is crossed by flexor and extensor tendons which course along its ventral and dorsal aspects respectively. Among them, nine flexor tendons and nine extensor tendons move toward the fingers without any attachment to the carpal bones two primary wrist flexors and three wrist extensors insert onto the distal carpal row and the metacarpals and one tendon, the palmaris longus tendon, attaches to the transverse carpal ligament and to the palmar aponeurosis. 

These injections can likewise enable patients to wear and use orthotic devices more effectively. Injection into the triceps surae musculature can improve the fit and function of an ankle-foot orthosis by preventing excessive plantar flexor spasticity from pistoning the foot out of the orthosis.49 Injections into severely spastic muscles can also increase patient comfort and ability to perform ADL and hygiene activities. Consider, for example, the patient with severe upper extremity flexor spasticity following a CVA. Local injection of botulinum toxin into the affected muscles may enable the patient to extend his or her elbow, wrist, and fingers, thereby allowing better hand cleansing, ability to dress, decreased pain, and so forth.7... 

As the disease progresses, the ankle jerk reflex is lost, and the muscular weakness spreads upward, involving first the extensor muscles of the foot, then the muscles of the caff, and finally the extensors and flexors of the thigh. At fins stage, there is pronounced toe and foot drop - the patient is unahle to keep either the toe or the whole foot extended off the ground. When the arms are affected, there is a similar inahUity to keep the hand extended - wrist drop. 

For prosthetic arms to be more than just position controllers for portable vices, multifunctional mechanisms that have the ability to have multiple degrees of freedom controlled simultaneously (in parallel) in a subconscious manner need to be developed. Current commercially available multifunctional controllers are generally sequential in nature and take the form of two site, three state multifunctional controllers. Motion Control, Inc., in the ProControl hand-wrist controller, uses rapid cocontraction of the forearm extensors and flexors to switch control between hand opening and closing to wrist rotation. Otto Bock uses a similar control strategy in its wrist-hand controller. Motion Control, Inc., in its elbow controller, uses dwell time (parking) to switch from elbow flexion and extension to hand opening and closure and cocontraction of biceps and triceps to switch control from the hand back to elbow. 

Sunagawa T, Ochi M, Ishida O, Ono C, Ikuta Y (2003) Three-dimensioiial CT imaging of flexor tendon ruptures in the hand and wrist. J Cranpnt Assist Tomogr 27 169-174... 

Musculoskeletal A 77-year-old man developed symptoms suggestive of flexor tendonitis of both wrists after taking ciprofloxacin for 3 days for a urinary tract infection Although the symptoms... 

A tourniquet applied to the upper arm induces carpopedal spasm due to contraction of the flexors of the arm and wrist, the extensors of the phalanges, and the abductor of the thumb. These combinations of muscle contractions lead to a position of the hand referred to as Trousseau s sign. The application of a mild galvanic current (below 6 milliamps) to the motor nerves leads to contraction of the muscles controlled by these nerves (Erb s sign). 

An anatomic feature in the wrist formed by the wrist bones and the transcarpal ligament through which the median nerve and the nine digital flexor tendons pass. 

Carpal T mnel An internal passage in the wrist between the extensor retinaculum and the carpal bones through which the median nerve, finger flexor tendons, and blood vessels pass from the arm to the hand. 

Flexor carpi ulnaris flexes the wrist and adducts the hand. 

The muscles of the fingers lie in the forearm. The tendons cross the wrist with the wrist muscle tendons. The flexor muscles cross the palm through numerous fibro-osseous tunnels. The extensor tendons pass along the dorsum of the hand through fewer tunnels. The flexor arid extensor muscles are all extrinsic muscles. 

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