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Abductor pollicis longus
Other Terms:
Musculus abductor pollicis longus,
Muscle long abducteur du pouce
Muscle parts
None
Latin name
Musculus abductor pollicis longus
Latin muscle parts
None
Group
Antebrachial muscle – posterior compartment – radial group
Etymology
In English, this muscle’s name is the long muscle that leads the thumb away (from the palm). Abductor is a term that describes the function or action of the muscle. It literally means to draw or to lead away from and is derived from the Latin ab meaning “away from” and ducere meaning “to lead or to draw.”The Latin pollex meaning “thumb” arises from the Latin polleo meaning “to be strong,” as the thumb was the strongest of the fingers.Longus is the Latin term meaning “long.” This is being used as a comparative reference to a shorter muscle that does the same thing.
Origin
Posterior surface of mid-ulna and mid-radius and interosseous membrane
Insertion
Base of the palmar side of 1st metacarpal bone
Action
Abducts the thumbs – assists the abductor pollicis brevis with abduction of the thumbExtends the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb – assists the extensor muscle of the thumb with this movement.
Nerve supply
Radial nerve (C7 and C8)
Blood supply
Posterior interosseous artery.
Latin
Musculus abductor pollicis longus
French
Muscle long abducteur du pouce