Anatomy subcategory
Upper Limb
Mnemonics for shoulder, arm, forearm, wrist and hand anatomy.
Entries in Upper Limb
Extensor Pollicis Longus, Extensor Pollicis Brevis, Abductor Pollicis Longus
A memory aid for the tendons that border the anatomical snuffbox.
Biceps brachii, Brachialis, Coracobrachialis
A mnemonic for the muscles of the anterior compartment of the arm.
Superficial, intermediate and deep flexors of the forearm
A memory aid for the flexor muscles of the anterior forearm by layer.
Flexor pollicis longus, lateral half of flexor digitorum profundus and pronator quadratus
A memory aid for the muscles supplied by the anterior interosseous nerve.
Deltoid weakness and regimental badge sensory loss
A memory aid for the signs of an axillary nerve lesion.
Brachioradialis, Extensors, Supinator, Triceps
A memory aid for common radial nerve motor functions.
Flexes the elbow and is the most powerful supinator of the forearm
A memory aid for the actions of biceps brachii.
8 carpals, 5 metacarpals and 14 phalanges make 27 bones
A memory aid for the number of bones in the hand and wrist.
Lateral, Medial and Posterior cords named by their relation to the axillary artery
A memory aid for how the three cords of the brachial plexus are named.
Long thoracic nerve arises from roots C5, C6 and C7
A mnemonic for the roots of the long thoracic nerve.
Four flexor digitorum superficialis tendons, four flexor digitorum profundus tendons, one flexor pollicis longus tendon and the median nerve
A memory aid for the ten structures passing through the carpal tunnel.
Normal carrying angle is about 5 to 15 degrees; increased is cubitus valgus and decreased is cubitus varus
A memory aid for the normal carrying angle and its abnormalities.
Pectoralis minor, Coracobrachialis, short head of Biceps brachii
A mnemonic for the muscles attaching to the coracoid process.
Median nerve lateral three and a half digits (palmar), Ulnar nerve medial one and a half digits, Radial nerve dorsolateral hand
A memory aid for the sensory territories of the hand.
Anterior fibres flex and medially rotate, middle fibres abduct, posterior fibres extend and laterally rotate
A memory aid for the three parts of deltoid and their actions.
The elbow is a hinge joint allowing only flexion and extension
A memory aid for the movements and muscles of the elbow joint.
Erb's palsy is C5 to C6 (upper trunk); Klumpke's palsy is C8 to T1 (lower trunk)
A memory aid to distinguish upper and lower brachial plexus injuries.
Laterally the scaphoid and trapezium, medially the pisiform and hook of hamate
A memory aid for the bony attachments of the flexor retinaculum.
Ulnar nerve and ulnar artery
A memory aid for the structures passing through Guyon's canal at the wrist.
Radial nerve wrist drop, ulnar nerve claw hand, median nerve hand of benediction or ape hand
A memory aid linking each major nerve palsy to its hand deformity.
Opponens digiti minimi, Abductor digiti minimi, Flexor digiti minimi brevis
A mnemonic for the three hypothenar muscles of the little finger.
Lateral pectoral nerve, Lateral root of the median nerve, Musculocutaneous nerve
A mnemonic for the branches of the lateral cord of the brachial plexus.
Extension, adduction and medial rotation of the arm, supplied by the thoracodorsal nerve
A memory aid for the actions and nerve supply of latissimus dorsi.
Lateral two lumbricals, Opponens pollicis, Abductor pollicis brevis, Flexor pollicis brevis
A mnemonic for median nerve-supplied intrinsic hand muscles.
Long head of biceps from the supraglenoid tubercle, long head of triceps from the infraglenoid tubercle
A memory aid for the origins of the long heads of biceps and triceps.
Lateral two lumbricals by the median nerve, medial two by the ulnar nerve
A memory aid for the split nerve supply of the four lumbricals.
Musculocutaneous, Axillary, Radial, Median, Ulnar
A mnemonic for the five terminal branches of the brachial plexus.
Medial pectoral nerve, Medial cutaneous nerve of the arm, Medial cutaneous nerve of the forearm, Ulnar nerve, Medial root of the median nerve
A mnemonic for the branches of the medial cord of the brachial plexus.
Hand of benediction, ape hand and loss of thumb opposition
A memory aid for the signs of a median nerve lesion.
Brachioradialis, Extensor carpi radialis longus, Extensor carpi radialis brevis
A memory aid for the three muscles of the radial mobile wad.
Palmar ADduct, Dorsal ABduct
A mnemonic for palmar and dorsal interossei actions.
Superficial palmar arch mainly from the ulnar artery, deep palmar arch mainly from the radial artery
A memory aid for the two palmar arches and which artery forms each.
Upper subscapular, Lower subscapular, Thoracodorsal, Radial, Axillary
A mnemonic for the branches of the posterior cord of the brachial plexus.
Finger drop with radial wrist deviation and no sensory loss
A memory aid for the effects of a posterior interosseous nerve lesion.
Pronators are pronator teres and pronator quadratus; supinators are supinator and biceps brachii
A memory aid for the muscles that pronate and supinate the forearm.
Axillary nerve and posterior circumflex humeral artery
A memory aid for the borders and contents of the quadrangular space.
Wrist drop from loss of the wrist and finger extensors
A memory aid for the signs of a radial nerve lesion.
Roots, Trunks, Divisions, Cords, Branches
A mnemonic for the organisation of the brachial plexus.
Radial Nerve, Biceps Tendon, Brachial Artery, Median Nerve
A mnemonic for the contents of the cubital fossa from lateral to medial.
Supraspinatus abducts, Infraspinatus and Teres minor laterally rotate, Subscapularis medially rotates
A memory aid for the action of each rotator cuff muscle.
Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus and Teres minor on the greater tubercle; Subscapularis on the lesser tubercle
A memory aid for where the rotator cuff muscles insert on the humerus.
Suprascapular nerve, Upper and lower Subscapular nerves, Axillary nerve
A memory aid for the nerves that supply the four rotator cuff muscles.
The scaphoid is supplied retrogradely from distal to proximal by the radial artery
A memory aid for why a scaphoid fracture risks avascular necrosis.
Superior Thoracic, Thoracoacromial, Lateral Thoracic, Subscapular, Anterior Circumflex Humeral, Posterior Circumflex Humeral
A mnemonic for the six branches of the axillary artery.
Serratus anterior protracts the scapula and is supplied by the long thoracic nerve
A memory aid for the action and nerve supply of serratus anterior.
Supraspinatus 0 to 15 degrees, Deltoid 15 to 90 degrees, Trapezius and Serratus anterior 90 to 180 degrees
A memory aid for which muscles abduct the arm through each range.
Flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, medial rotation, lateral rotation and circumduction
A memory aid for the movements of the glenohumeral joint and their muscles.
Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres minor, Subscapularis
A mnemonic for the rotator cuff muscles.
The six synovial tunnels deep to the extensor retinaculum and their tendons
A memory aid for the contents of the six dorsal extensor compartments of the wrist.
Scaphoid, Lunate, Triquetrum, Pisiform, Trapezium, Trapezoid, Capitate, Hamate
A mnemonic for the eight carpal bones in order.
Ulnar nerve and artery, palmaris longus tendon and the palmar cutaneous branches of the median and ulnar nerves
A memory aid for what passes over rather than through the flexor retinaculum.
Brachioradialis, Extensor carpi radialis longus and brevis, Extensor digitorum, Extensor digiti minimi, Extensor carpi ulnaris, Anconeus
A memory aid for the superficial extensor muscles of the forearm.
Cephalic vein laterally, basilic vein medially, median cubital vein joining them at the elbow
A memory aid for the main superficial veins of the arm.
Opponens pollicis, Abductor pollicis brevis, Flexor pollicis brevis
A mnemonic for the three thenar muscles of the thumb.
Triangular space holds the circumflex scapular artery; quadrangular space holds the axillary nerve; triangular interval holds the radial nerve
A memory aid for the contents of the three intermuscular spaces at the back of the shoulder.
All intrinsic hand muscles except the LOAF muscles of the median nerve
A memory aid for the intrinsic hand muscles supplied by the ulnar nerve.
C5 lateral arm, C6 thumb, C7 middle finger, C8 little finger, T1 medial arm
A memory aid for the key sensory landmarks of the upper limb dermatomes.
Biceps C5 to C6, Supinator C6, Triceps C7 to C8
A mnemonic for the nerve roots of the upper limb deep tendon reflexes.
Anterior, posterior, medial and lateral walls of the axilla
A memory aid for the four walls of the axilla and their muscles.
Medial winging from long thoracic nerve palsy, lateral winging from spinal accessory nerve palsy
A memory aid for the two types of winged scapula and their nerves.