Origin
The muscle has 2 heads.
Humeral head – arises from the humerus, medial epicondyle.
Ulnar head – arises from the ulna, coronoid process.
Insertion
The muscle is inserted into the radius.
Blood supply
Radial and ulnar arteries.
Nerve supply
Median nerve
Action
The muscle is responsible for the pronation of forearm, i.e., rotating the forearm palm-down and also helps in a weak elbow flexion.
Disease/Injury
Certain sports, playing musical instruments, as well as driving a car make use of the pronator teres muscle. Any excessive activity can strain and injure the pronator teres muscle.
Compression of the median nerve in the region of the pronator teres gives rise to ‘pronator teres syndrome’. This is characterized by typical nervous symptoms such as tingling, numbness, and pain.
Muscle Exercise
Exercises like standing, palm press, standing wrist and forearm rotations, standing curl and press makes your pronator teres strong.
Interesting facts
Even though pronator teres syndrome and carpal tunnel syndrome both involve pinching of the median nerve at different locations, the latter is much more common than the former.
