- Click here for access to the full Anatomy Glossary.
- Right click on the image for a downloadable file of this muscle.
- Use of this artwork requires proper credit to be given (Permission: Dr. Joe Muscolino. www.learnmuscles.com – art work Giovanni Rimasti)
The Central Compartment Group of intrinsic muscles of the hand is composed of the:
- Adductor pollicis
- Lumbricals manus
- Palmar interossei
- Dorsal interossei manus
ATTACHMENTS:
- The muscles of the hypothenar eminence group attach from the transverse carpal ligament and the hamate and pisiform to the little finger.
- The abductor digiti minimi manus and flexor digiti minimi manus attach distally onto the proximal phalanx of the little finger.
- The opponens digiti minimi attaches distally onto the metacarpal of the little finger.
- The transverse carpal ligament is also known as the flexor retinaculum.
ACTIONS:
- Adducts the thumb at the carpometacarpal joint (adductor pollicis).
- Flexes fingers #2-5 at the metacarpophalangeal joints (lumbricals manus, palmar interossei, dorsal interossei manus).
- Extends fingers #2-5 at the proximal and distal interphalangeal joints (lumbricals manus, palmar interossei, dorsal interossei manus).
- Adducts fingers #2, #4, #5 at the metacarpophalangeal joints (palmar interossei).
- Abducts fingers #2 and #4 at the metacarpophalangeal joints (dorsal interossei manus).
- Radially abducts and ulnarly abducts finger #3 at the metacarpophalangeal joint (dorsal interossei manus).
NOTE: The muscles of the central compartment are located between the muscles of the thenar eminence and hypothenar eminence groups.
