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| Latin | Musculus brachioradialis |
|---|---|
| Origin |
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| Insertion |
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| Action |
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| Nerve | Radial nerve (C5–C6) |
| Name | Latin brachium, 'arm', and radius — it runs from the arm (humerus) to the radius. |
Palpation
- Client seated or supine with the elbow bent to about 90° and the forearm in mid-position (thumb pointing up).
- Place your fingers on the thumb side of the forearm, just below the elbow, where the muscle forms the outer edge of the elbow crease.
- Follow the belly down the forearm as it narrows into a tendon towards the wrist.
- Ask the client to bend the elbow against light resistance with the thumb up; the muscle stands out clearly.
Brachioradialis is the first muscle you meet on the thumb side of the forearm. It forms the outer edge of the elbow crease and is easy to see when a person holds a cup or hammer with the thumb up. It works with Brachialis and Biceps brachii to bend the elbow, and is opposed by Triceps brachii and Anconeus.
It sits just above the wrist extensors on the outer forearm, so clients who grip or type a lot often report tightness here. To tell it apart from the wrist extensors, resist elbow bending with the thumb up (brachioradialis) and then resist lifting the back of the hand (wrist extensors). Wikipedia’s infobox lists C5–T1, the roots of the whole radial nerve; C5–C6 is the level usually given for this muscle.