Muscle Name: anconeus

AKA:  musculus anconeus

Abbreviation:  

Spinal Nerve Roots:
    C6
    C7
    C8

Brachial Plexus Trunks:
    upper trunk
    middle trunk
    lower trunk

Brachial Plexus Cords:
    posterior cord

Named Nerves:
    radial nerve

Proximal Attachment:  Lateral epicondyle of the humerus proximally

Distal Attachment:  Lateral surface of the olecranon process and the superior part of the posterior ulna distally

Action:  Assists in extension of the forearm. It also stabilises the elbow during pronation and supination and pulls slack out of the elbow joint capsule during extention to prevent impingement.

Needle Insertion:  In the pronated and slightly flexed forearm, the needle is inseretd one to two finger-breadths distal to the olecranon, slightly above the ulna.

Activation for EMG:  The patient extent the elbow.

Pitfalls:  

Notes:  This is the only muscle in the forearm innervated proximal to the spiral groove, which allows it to be spared in a radial neuropathy at the spiral groove.