The brachioradialis
Brachioradialis · musculus brachioradialis
The muscle along the thumb side of your forearm that bends the elbow when you hold a hammer.
What it does
The brachioradialis runs from the lower humerus down the thumb side of the forearm to the end of the radius. It bends the elbow most strongly when your thumb points up, as when you hold a glass or a hammer.
Surprising fact
It is unusual because it bends the elbow, yet it is supplied by the radial nerve, which otherwise powers the muscles that straighten the arm.
Why it matters
It forms the fleshy bulge on the thumb side of your forearm near the elbow, a landmark artists use to draw the arm convincingly.
Nearby
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Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.