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Extensor digitorum: anatomy, location and function

The main extensor of the fingers. Extends the medial four digits at the metacarpophalangeal joints and, with help, the interphalangeal joints; also extends the wrist.

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Structures

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Highlighted in the model: Extensor digitorum. Click any part to read about it, or switch off “Highlight topic” to see the whole body. 3D data: BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, CC BY 4.0; meshes simplified and recoloured. The model is an adult male.

Extensor digitorum at a glance

What it is
The main extensor of the fingers.
Location
Origin: common extensor tendon from the lateral epicondyle. Insertion: extensor expansions of digits 2–5.
Function
Extends the medial four digits at the metacarpophalangeal joints and, with help, the interphalangeal joints; also extends the wrist.
Body system
Muscular · paired (left and right)
FMA ID
FMA38501 (Foundational Model of Anatomy)

Key facts

  • Innervation: posterior interosseous nerve (C7–C8)
  • Blood supply: posterior interosseous artery

Structures next to the extensor digitorum

The nearest named structures in the 3D model, measured from the centre of each part:

References

  1. Foundational Model of Anatomy: Extensor digitorum (FMA38501). EMBL-EBI Ontology Lookup Service.
  2. OpenStax. Anatomy and Physiology 2e, §11.2 Naming Skeletal Muscles. Rice University, 2022.
  3. Mitsuhashi N. et al. (2009). BodyParts3D: 3D structure database for anatomical concepts. Nucleic Acids Research 37, D782–D785. Data © The Database Center for Life Science, CC BY 4.0.

Related anatomy

Explore the whole body in the interactive 3D human anatomy model, or browse the A–Z list of human structures.