Summary forearm and hand anatomy

The forearm and hand are complex structures made up of bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and blood vessels. The forearm is the area between the elbow and the wrist, while the hand is the distal portion of the upper limb, including the wrist, palm, fingers, and thumb. The forearm consists of the ulna and radius bones, which articulate with the humerus at the elbow joint. The ulna is located on the medial side of the forearm and is responsible for the stability of the forearm, while the radius is located on the lateral side and allows for rotation of the forearm. The muscles of the forearm are divided into two compartments, the anterior and posterior compartments, and are responsible for flexion and extension of the wrist and fingers, as well as pronation and supination of the forearm. The hand is made up of the wrist, which contains eight carpal bones, the palm, which contains five metacarpal bones, and the fingers, which contain fourteen phalanges. The wrist joint is responsible for the flexion, extension, abduction, and adduction of the hand, while the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint allows for the flexion, extension, abduction, and adduction of the fingers. The interphalangeal (IP) joints allow for flexion and extension of the fingers. The tendons of the forearm and hand are responsible for connecting muscles to bones and facilitating movement. The ligaments provide stability to the joints, and the nerves and blood vessels supply innervation and blood flow to the structures. Understanding the anatomy of the forearm and hand is important for diagnosing and treating injuries and conditions that affect these structures, such as fractures, dislocations, tendonitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome.