The word "musculus extensor brevis pollicis" is a mouthful to say and spell correctly. It's a medical term referring to a muscle in the hand that extends the thumb. The spelling of this complex word adheres to the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), which seeks to represent the sounds of speech. Using the IPA, the pronunciation of this word would be /ˈmʌskjʊləs ɪkˈstɛnsər ˈbrɛvɪs ˈpɒlɪsɪs/. Despite its daunting spelling, knowing the correct pronunciation and spelling of this medical term is essential for proper communication in the healthcare industry.
The term "musculus extensor brevis pollicis" refers to a specific muscle located in the human hand, particularly the thumb. It is often known as the short extensor muscle of the thumb.
The muscle is part of the extensor compartment of the forearm, which consists of a group of muscles responsible for extending or straightening the wrist, fingers, and thumb. More specifically, the musculus extensor brevis pollicis originates from the posterior aspect of the radius bone in the forearm, just below the wrist joint. From there, it travels toward the thumb side of the hand, crossing the back of the wrist joint.
Upon reaching the thumb, the muscle inserts itself into the base of the proximal phalanx bone, which is situated near the metacarpophalangeal joint (the joint between the thumb and the hand). The primary function of the musculus extensor brevis pollicis is to extend the thumb joint, allowing for movements such as thumb extension, opposition (bringing the thumb in contact with the other fingers), and abduction (moving the thumb away from the palm).
In summary, the musculus extensor brevis pollicis is a short muscle that serves a vital role in extending and enabling various movements of the thumb joint.
M. Extensor pollicis brevis.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.