Quick Facts
Origin: Palmar aponeurosis and flexor retinaculum of hand.
Insertion: Skin along the medial margin of hand.
Action: Wrinkles skin on hypothenar eminence; deepens hollow of hand; helps with gripping.
Innervation: Superficial branch of ulnar nerve (C8-T1).
Arterial Supply: Superficial palmar arch.
Related parts of the anatomy
Origin
The palmaris brevis muscle originates from the:
- medial margin of the palmar aponeurosis;
- medial part of the flexor retinaculum of hand.
Insertion
The fibers of the palmaris brevis muscle travel medially and insert onto the dermis of the skin found along on the medial margin of the hand.
Key Features & Anatomical Relations
The palmaris brevis muscle is found within the subcutaneous tissue of the hypothenar eminence of the hand, and not within the hypothenar compartment. It is a thin, short, quadrilateral type of skeletal muscle. It is located:
- anterior (superficial) to the abductor digiti minimi muscle of hand, the ulnar artery, and the ulnar nerve;
- posterior (deep) to the skin of the hypothenar eminence;
- medial to the palmar aponeurosis.
Actions & Testing
The palmaris brevis muscle wrinkles the skin on the hypothenar eminence and deepens the hollow of the hand, which can help with gripping. It can be tested by opposing the little finger to the thumb, during which it can be seen to wrinkle the skin of the hypothenar eminence (Standring, 2016).
References
Standring, S. (2016) Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. Gray's Anatomy Series 41st edn.: Elsevier Limited.
Learn more about this topic from other Elsevier products
Palmaris Brevis Muscle
These are typically fibers of the palmaris brevis muscle, which is innervated by a branch of the ulnar nerve.
