MuscleHand — thenar
Abductor pollicis brevis
Latin: M. abductor pollicis brevis
Location: Hand
View the abductor pollicis brevis in 3DOrigin
Flexor retinaculum and the tubercles of the scaphoid and trapezium.
Insertion
Lateral side of the base of the thumb's proximal phalanx.
Action
Abducts the thumb at right angles to the palm — the first movement of opposition.
Nerve supply
Median nerve — recurrent thenar branch (C8–T1).
Blood supply
Superficial palmar branch of the radial artery.
Clinical relevance
Median nerve compression in the carpal tunnel wastes this muscle first — thumb opposition weakness with thenar hollowing.
Educational anatomy reference, not medical advice. About this content.