Median

Below the elbow dislocation of carpel bones,

swelling of tendons in the carpel tunnel carpel
tunnel syndrome
Damage that is distal to the wrist is better
since the Thenar muscles of the hand have
already been supplied
Weaker abduction of thumb but not total loss
(APL is still in tact)
Above the wrist:
Motor: inability to pronate arm, flex fingers or
wrist due to no anterior forearm muscles arm
is constantly supinated
Hand of benediction when patient can only
make fist with little and index finger
Hyperextension of index finger and thumb
ape hand deformity
Very weak flexion (FCU is supplied)
Sensory: loss of sensation /tingling in lateral 3
digits and nail beds
Trophic: Atrophy of thenar muscles
Gives off no motor branches before the elbow so effects are
pretty much the same
Above the elbow Supracondylar fracture of humerus or distal
radius fractures, dislocation of elbow
Affects all its muscles
Ulnar
Above the elbow
Would affect all the muscles
it supplies: FCU, of FDP,
hypothenar muscles, dorsi
interossei muscles and
lumbricals III and IV
Trophic: Atrophy of muscles
on medial side of forearm
Below the elbow
caused by fractures or
dislocations of medial
epicondyle
FCU, of FDP might be
ok if its distal to their
branches (just above the
wrist)

Sensory: supplies palmar and dorsal surface digit V and of digit

IV loss of sensation/ pins and needles and pain and also to
palmar and dorsal surfaces
Trophic: muscle atrophy of hypothenar eminence;
Motor: Damage to lumbricals III and IV as well are dorsal
interossei inability to adduct and abduct fingers
Claw hand (hyperextension of the metacarpophalangeal joints
and flexion of the interphalangeal joints)
Will be better if its at the wrist since FDP and FCU unaffected
Dorsal cutaneous branch would be ok

Radial
Above the elbow caused by
fractures of the humeral
shaft (since it passes down
the spiral groove)
Sensory:
May cause sensory loss
Definitely cause sensory loss
in dorsal 3 digits since
cutaneous nerves are very
distal
Tingling, pain, loss of
sensation, inability to detect
temperatures

If its in the shaft of the

humerus, cutaneous branches to arm and forearm have already
been given off so theyll be ok

Affects all the muscles it supplies all posterior muscles of the

forearm and arm (triceps)
Triceps may still work since some of its heads will be supplied
but its action will be weakened

Leads to difficulty in extending the elbow, extension of forearm and

fingers
Autonomic effects: brachioradialis and biceps reflex
Below the elbow (e.g. due to compression),
No sensory or motor effects in the arm
Already given off cutaneous branches and sensory branches to
posterior arm muscles
Radial nerve splits into superficial and deep branch at lateral
epicondyle
If superficial, damage is sensory

 Affects the dorsal aspect of hand index and middle fingers

If deep, damage is motor
Affects all posterior muscles of the forearm (depending on
position)
Difficultly in supination of forearm and extension of the wrist
wrist drop
Inability to extend fingers and thumb due to ED damage