Standing, sitting or lying supine
Anterior or lateral to the patient.
May I touch your forearm and hand? ( or point to the demonstrated area ).
Please turn your palm up and then bend the last joint on your thumb (or demonstrate). Now
alternately bend and relax this joint (or demonstrate). (If needed, hold in this position
while I try to move your hand.)
Guide the patient to supinate. With the patient relaxed, and place the fingers in the radial valley.
This valley is just lateral to the flexor carpi radialis tendon at the wrist. Guide the patient to alternately
flex and relax the last joint on the thumb. Palpate the muscle belly in the radial valley at the wrist and also
more proximally on the anterior forearm during the wrist flexion motion.
Move the finger to the flexor surface of the interphalangeal joint of the thumb. Palpate the tendon during the flexion motion as it inserts onto the distal phalanx of the thumb.
Move the finger to the flexor surface of the interphalangeal joint of the thumb. Palpate the tendon during the flexion motion as it inserts onto the distal phalanx of the thumb.
VH - Flexor pollicis longus muscle and tendon