Oblique head of adductor pollicis - Upper extremity - Muscles of upper limb - e-Anatomy
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Oblique head of adductor pollicis

Caput obliquum adductoris pollicis

  • Related terms: Oblique head

Definition

Muhammad A. Javaid

The oblique head is one of the two distinct parts of the adductor pollicis, a deep, triangular intrinsic muscle of the hand.

Origin

This head has a broad origin from the bases of the second and third metacarpals, the capitate bone, and adjacent carpal ligaments.

Course and Insertion

From its origin, its fibers converge laterally. The oblique head contributes to the common insertion of the adductor pollicis onto the ulnar sesamoid bone and the ulnar side of the base of the proximal phalanx of the thumb. Some of its fibers also blend into the dorsal aponeurosis of the thumb.

References

  • Okwumabua E, Sinkler MA, Bordoni B. Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Hand Muscles. [Updated 2023 Jul 24]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537229/

  • Loss J Li ZM. Biometry of thenar muscle origins on the flexor retinaculum. Clin Anat. 2020 Nov;33(8):1176-1180.

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