Abductor pollicis brevis
Hands
- Origin
- Flexor retinaculum and nearby carpal bones (scaphoid, trapezium)
- Insertion
- Thumb side of the base of the proximal phalanx of the thumb
- Action
- Abducts the thumb (moves it away from the palm)
- Nerve supply
- Recurrent branch of the median nerve (C8–T1)
The most superficial muscle of the ball of the thumb. It lifts the thumb away from the palm, as when getting ready to grip a large object.
Abductor pollicis brevis anatomy page →