Thenar eminence
Eminentia thenaris
- Latin synonym: Thenar
Definition
The thenar eminence is the prominent, muscular region on the radial (lateral) aspect of the palm at the base of the thumb.
The thenar eminence is formed by three primary muscles: abductor pollicis brevis, flexor pollicis brevis, and opponens pollicis. These thenar muscles are innervated predominantly by the recurrent (thenar) branch of the median nerve.
The vascular supply to the thenar region is mainly from the superficial palmar branch of the radial artery, which consistently nourishes the overlying skin and muscle.
References
Luxenburg D, Rizzo MG. Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Hand Thenar Eminence. [Updated 2023 May 1]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK580533/
