Biceps brachii muscle

Origin: Short head: coracoid process of the scapula. long head: supraglenoid tubercle

Insertion: Radial tuberosity

Artery: Brachial artery

Nerve: Musculocutaneous nerve (Lateral cord: C5, C6, C7)

Action: Flexes elbow and supinates forearm

Antagonist: Triceps brachii muscle

Description:
The Biceps brachii (Biceps; Biceps flexor cubiti) is a long fusiform muscle, placed on the front of the arm, and arising by two heads, from which circumstance it has received its name. The short head arises by a thick flattened tendon from the apex of the coracoid process, in common with the Coracobrachialis. The long head arises from the supraglenoid tuberosity at the upper margin of the glenoid cavity, and is continuous with the glenoidal labrum. This tendon, enclosed in a special sheath of the synovial membrane of the shoulder-joint, arches over the head of the humerus; it emerges from the capsule through an opening close to the humeral attachment of the ligament, and descends in the intertubercular groove; it is retained in the groove by the transverse humeral ligament and by a fibrous prolongation from the tendon of the Pectoralis major. Each tendon is succeeded by an elongated muscular belly, and the two bellies, although closely applied to each other, can readily be separated until within about 7.5 cm. of the elbow-joint. Here they end in a flattened tendon, which is inserted into the rough posterior portion of the tuberosity of the radius, a bursa being interposed between the tendon and the front part of the tuberosity. As the tendon of the muscle approaches the radius it is twisted upon itself, so that its anterior surface becomes lateral and is applied to the tuberosity of the radius at its insertion. Opposite the bend of the elbow the tendon gives off, from its medial side, a broad aponeurosis, the lacertus fibrosus (bicipital fascia) which passes obliquely downward and medialward across the brachial artery, and is continuous with the deep fascia covering the origins of the Flexor muscles of the forearm.
Variations.—A third head (10 per cent.) to the Biceps brachii is occasionally found, arising at the upper and medial part of the Brachialis, with the fibers of which it is continuous, and inserted into the lacertus fibrosus and medial side of the tendon of the muscle. In most cases this additional slip lies behind the brachial artery in its coarse down the arm. In some instances the third head consists of two slips, which pass down, one in front of and the other behind the artery, concealing the vessel in the lower half of the arm. More rarely a fourth head occurs arising from the outer side of the humerus, from the intertubercular groove, or from the greater tubercle. Other heads are occasionally found. Slips sometimes pass from the inner border of the muscle over the brachial artery to the medial intermuscular septum, or the medial epicondyle; more rarely to the Pronator teres or Brachialis. The long head may be absent or arise from the intertubercular groove.