Brachialis muscle


The brachialis is a muscle in the upper arm that flexes the elbow joint. It lies deeper than the biceps brachii, and makes up part of the floor of the region known as the cubital fossa. The brachialis is the prime mover of elbow flexion. While the biceps brachii appears as a large anterior bulge on the arm and commands considerable interest among body builders, the brachialis underlying it actually generates about 50% more power and is thus the prime mover of elbow flexion.

Structure

The brachialis originates from the anterior surface of the distal half of the humerus, near the insertion of the deltoid muscle, which it embraces by two angular processes. Its origin extends below to within 2.5 cm of the margin of the articular surface of the humerus at the elbow joint. Its fibers converge to a thick tendon, which is inserted into the tuberosity of the ulna

Blood supply

The brachialis is supplied by the Muscular branches of brachial artery and the recurrent radial artery.

Nerve supply

The brachialis muscle is innervated by the musculocutaneous nerve, which runs on its superficial surface, between it and the biceps brachii. However, in 70-80% of people, the muscle has double innervation with the radial nerve. The divide between the two innervations is at the insertion of the deltoid.

Variation

The muscle is occasionally doubled; additional slips to the supinator, pronator teres, biceps brachii, lacertus fibrosus, or radius are more rarely found.

Function

The brachialis flexes the arm at the elbow joint. Unlike the biceps, the brachialis does not insert on the radius, and does not participate in pronation and supination of the forearm.

History

Etymology

The brachialis muscle In classical Latin bracchialis means of or belonging to the arm, and is derived from classical Latin bracchium,"arm". The expression musculus brachialis is used in the current official anatomic nomencoTerminologia Anatomica''.

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