If radial nerve is injured, which hand muscle would not be impacted?

If radial nerve is injured, which hand muscle would not be impacted?

• A. Extensor carpi radialis
• B. Brachioradialis
• C. Flexor digiti minimi
• D. Opponens pollicis

Answer: (C)

Radial nerve injury mainly weakens muscles that extend the wrist and fingers in the forearm. The hand muscles shown fall under different nerve supplies. Flexor digiti minimi is innervated by the ulnar nerve, not the radial nerve, so it would not be affected by a radial nerve injury. The other options are either directly supplied by the radial nerve (extensor carpi radialis) or by other nerves (opponens pollicis by the median nerve), illustrating that a radial nerve injury doesn’t impact muscles outside its own nerve supply.

Radial nerve injury mainly weakens muscles that extend the wrist and fingers in the forearm. The hand muscles shown fall under different nerve supplies. Flexor digiti minimi is innervated by the ulnar nerve, not the radial nerve, so it would not be affected by a radial nerve injury. The other options are either directly supplied by the radial nerve (extensor carpi radialis) or by other nerves (opponens pollicis by the median nerve), illustrating that a radial nerve injury doesn’t impact muscles outside its own nerve supply.