Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAnatomyFunctionInjuriesRehabilitation
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Anatomy
Function
Injuries
Rehabilitation
Pain in the brachioradialis can come from overuse, such as repetitive activities like hammering, which can lead to strain ortendinitis. To strengthen it, try exercises like hammer curls, where you lift weights with your thumb facing up, and forearm pronation and supination, which involve rotating your wrist. These exercises help keep the brachioradialis strong and flexible, supporting better movement and reducing injury risk.
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The brachioradialis muscle starts from the outside of your upper arm bone, called thehumerus, and runs down your forearm, attaching to theradius bonenear your wrist.
This muscle is close to the skin, so you can see and feel it easily. To find it, bend your elbow with your hand in a neutral position, like you’re holding a cup, and you’ll feel the large muscle along your forearm—that’s your brachioradialis.
You have one brachioradialis in each forearm, and a blood vessel called the radial recurrent artery brings blood to the muscle to keep it strong and healthy.
This muscle also forms one side of your “elbow pit,” orcubital fossa, where you can find other important structures like the biceps tendon, themedian nerve, and thebrachial artery.
Which Nerve Supplies the Brachioradialis?The radial nerve supplies the brachioradialis muscle to help it move. This nerve starts in the neck, around the lower neck bones (cervical levels five through seven) and upper back (thoracic level one).
Which Nerve Supplies the Brachioradialis?
The radial nerve supplies the brachioradialis muscle to help it move. This nerve starts in the neck, around the lower neck bones (cervical levels five through seven) and upper back (thoracic level one).
Main Functions
The brachioradialis muscle helps bend your elbow, especially when your forearm is in a neutral position—meaning your hand faces sideways, like in a handshake.
This muscle works with others, such as the biceps (in the upper arm) and the brachialis (a muscle beneath the biceps), to perform tasks like lifting or hammering. It also keeps your elbow steady when the biceps and brachialis are moving the joint.
Besides bending the elbow, the brachioradialis helps rotate your forearm. When your hand is facing palm-down, the brachioradialis assists in turning it palm-up (supination). Likewise, when your hand is palm-up, this muscle helps rotate it to a palm-down position (pronation), making it important for both turning and stabilizing the arm.
Unlike most muscles that move joints, which attach close to the joints they control, the brachioradialis connects farther down the forearm on the radius bone (one of the two main forearm bones).
This longer attachment allows it to provide strong support for the elbow during different arm movements, even though it’s farther from the joint it helps move.
What Is the Difference Between the Brachialis and Brachioradialis?The brachialis is most active when the forearm is palm-down. The brachioradialis is most active when the palm faces sideways. Both muscles bend the elbow, but they are most efficient in different hand positions.
What Is the Difference Between the Brachialis and Brachioradialis?
The brachialis is most active when the forearm is palm-down. The brachioradialis is most active when the palm faces sideways. Both muscles bend the elbow, but they are most efficient in different hand positions.
Related Injuries
The brachioradialis muscle can hurt or have limited function for several possible reasons, including:
If you suspect you have any condition with your brachioradialis muscle, you must check in with your healthcare provider. They can give you an accurate diagnosis of your condition and can guide you in rehabbing your brachioradialis.
An injury to your brachioradialis may benefit from proper rehab to help get it moving again. Initial rehab may include using theR.I.C.E. principle: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. This principle is usually followed for the first 48 to 72 hours following the injury.
R.I.C.E helps control the initial inflammatory response and can limit pain and swelling. Once things have settled down, you can begin rehabbing your brachioradialis. Rehab may involve:
Strengthening Exercises
Strengthening your brachioradialis can improve its ability to handle different loads. You can do several exercises to strengthen this muscle, including:
If any exercise for your brachioradialis causes pain, stop and check in with your physical therapist or healthcare provider.
Most injuries to the brachioradialis heal within six to eight weeks, though more severe injuries like avulsions can take up to 14 weeks.Your recovery may be a bit longer or shorter depending on the nature of your injury. Be sure to work with your healthcare provider to understand your specific course of rehab.
Summary
The brachioradialis is a muscle located on the outer part of the forearm. It is responsible for bending the elbow, especially when the hand the palm faces sideways, like in a handshake. It also helps stabilize the elbow and assists in turning the forearm when the palm is facing up (supination) or down (pronation). The brachioradialis works alongside other muscles, like the biceps and brachialis, to perform movements such as hammering.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Benoît C, Dugailly PM, Brassinne E, Schuind F.The role of the muscle brachioradialis in elbow flexion: An electromyographic study.J Hand Surg. 2018 Mar;23(1):102-110. doi:10.1142/S2424835518500145American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Body anatomy: Upper extremity muscles.Narsinh K, Mirza M, Duvvuri M, et al.Radial artery access anatomy: Considerations for neuroendovascular procedures.J NeuroIntervent Surg.2021;2021(1):1-6. doi:10.1136/neurintsurg-2021-017325Glin M, Zielinska N, Ruzik K, et al.Morphological variations of the brachial artery and their clinical significance: A systematic review.Surg Radiol Anat.2023;45(1):1125–1134. doi:10.1007/s00276-023-03198-5Kang KC, Lee HS, Lee JH.Cervical radiculopathy focus on characteristics and differential diagnosis.Asian Spine J. 2020 Dec;14(6):921-930. doi:10.31616/asj.2020.0647Marchant MH, Gambardella RA, Podesta L.Superficial radial nerve injury after avulsion fracture of the brachioradialis muscle origin in a professional lacrosse player: a case report.J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2009;18(6):e9-e12. doi:10.1016/j.jse.2009.02.008Yale Medicine.Is there a better way to use RICE for your injury?.Zhai T, Jiang F, Chen Y, Wang J, Feng W.Advancing musculoskeletal diagnosis and therapy: a comprehensive review of trigger point theory and muscle pain patterns.Front Med (Lausanne). 2024 Jul;11(1):1433070. doi:10.3389/fmed.2024.1433070Hospital for Special Surgery.Kinesiology tape: What it is and how to use it.Behera G, Balaji G, Menon J, Sharma D, Komuravalli VK.Avulsion fracture of brachioradialis origin: An exceedingly rare entity: a case report.Malays Orthop J. 2016 Jul;10(2):50-52. doi10.5704/MOJ.1607.010Additional ReadingKim JH, Hwang UJ, Jung SH, Gwak GT, Kwon OY.Immediate improvements of supination range of motion and strength following pronator teres muscle friction massage: a clinical trial comparing people with and without supination limited motion.J Man Manip Ther. 2019;27(2):109-114. doi:10.1080/10669817.2018.1542559
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Benoît C, Dugailly PM, Brassinne E, Schuind F.The role of the muscle brachioradialis in elbow flexion: An electromyographic study.J Hand Surg. 2018 Mar;23(1):102-110. doi:10.1142/S2424835518500145American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Body anatomy: Upper extremity muscles.Narsinh K, Mirza M, Duvvuri M, et al.Radial artery access anatomy: Considerations for neuroendovascular procedures.J NeuroIntervent Surg.2021;2021(1):1-6. doi:10.1136/neurintsurg-2021-017325Glin M, Zielinska N, Ruzik K, et al.Morphological variations of the brachial artery and their clinical significance: A systematic review.Surg Radiol Anat.2023;45(1):1125–1134. doi:10.1007/s00276-023-03198-5Kang KC, Lee HS, Lee JH.Cervical radiculopathy focus on characteristics and differential diagnosis.Asian Spine J. 2020 Dec;14(6):921-930. doi:10.31616/asj.2020.0647Marchant MH, Gambardella RA, Podesta L.Superficial radial nerve injury after avulsion fracture of the brachioradialis muscle origin in a professional lacrosse player: a case report.J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2009;18(6):e9-e12. doi:10.1016/j.jse.2009.02.008Yale Medicine.Is there a better way to use RICE for your injury?.Zhai T, Jiang F, Chen Y, Wang J, Feng W.Advancing musculoskeletal diagnosis and therapy: a comprehensive review of trigger point theory and muscle pain patterns.Front Med (Lausanne). 2024 Jul;11(1):1433070. doi:10.3389/fmed.2024.1433070Hospital for Special Surgery.Kinesiology tape: What it is and how to use it.Behera G, Balaji G, Menon J, Sharma D, Komuravalli VK.Avulsion fracture of brachioradialis origin: An exceedingly rare entity: a case report.Malays Orthop J. 2016 Jul;10(2):50-52. doi10.5704/MOJ.1607.010Additional ReadingKim JH, Hwang UJ, Jung SH, Gwak GT, Kwon OY.Immediate improvements of supination range of motion and strength following pronator teres muscle friction massage: a clinical trial comparing people with and without supination limited motion.J Man Manip Ther. 2019;27(2):109-114. doi:10.1080/10669817.2018.1542559
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Benoît C, Dugailly PM, Brassinne E, Schuind F.The role of the muscle brachioradialis in elbow flexion: An electromyographic study.J Hand Surg. 2018 Mar;23(1):102-110. doi:10.1142/S2424835518500145American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Body anatomy: Upper extremity muscles.Narsinh K, Mirza M, Duvvuri M, et al.Radial artery access anatomy: Considerations for neuroendovascular procedures.J NeuroIntervent Surg.2021;2021(1):1-6. doi:10.1136/neurintsurg-2021-017325Glin M, Zielinska N, Ruzik K, et al.Morphological variations of the brachial artery and their clinical significance: A systematic review.Surg Radiol Anat.2023;45(1):1125–1134. doi:10.1007/s00276-023-03198-5Kang KC, Lee HS, Lee JH.Cervical radiculopathy focus on characteristics and differential diagnosis.Asian Spine J. 2020 Dec;14(6):921-930. doi:10.31616/asj.2020.0647Marchant MH, Gambardella RA, Podesta L.Superficial radial nerve injury after avulsion fracture of the brachioradialis muscle origin in a professional lacrosse player: a case report.J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2009;18(6):e9-e12. doi:10.1016/j.jse.2009.02.008Yale Medicine.Is there a better way to use RICE for your injury?.Zhai T, Jiang F, Chen Y, Wang J, Feng W.Advancing musculoskeletal diagnosis and therapy: a comprehensive review of trigger point theory and muscle pain patterns.Front Med (Lausanne). 2024 Jul;11(1):1433070. doi:10.3389/fmed.2024.1433070Hospital for Special Surgery.Kinesiology tape: What it is and how to use it.Behera G, Balaji G, Menon J, Sharma D, Komuravalli VK.Avulsion fracture of brachioradialis origin: An exceedingly rare entity: a case report.Malays Orthop J. 2016 Jul;10(2):50-52. doi10.5704/MOJ.1607.010
Benoît C, Dugailly PM, Brassinne E, Schuind F.The role of the muscle brachioradialis in elbow flexion: An electromyographic study.J Hand Surg. 2018 Mar;23(1):102-110. doi:10.1142/S2424835518500145
American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Body anatomy: Upper extremity muscles.
Narsinh K, Mirza M, Duvvuri M, et al.Radial artery access anatomy: Considerations for neuroendovascular procedures.J NeuroIntervent Surg.2021;2021(1):1-6. doi:10.1136/neurintsurg-2021-017325
Glin M, Zielinska N, Ruzik K, et al.Morphological variations of the brachial artery and their clinical significance: A systematic review.Surg Radiol Anat.2023;45(1):1125–1134. doi:10.1007/s00276-023-03198-5
Kang KC, Lee HS, Lee JH.Cervical radiculopathy focus on characteristics and differential diagnosis.Asian Spine J. 2020 Dec;14(6):921-930. doi:10.31616/asj.2020.0647
Marchant MH, Gambardella RA, Podesta L.Superficial radial nerve injury after avulsion fracture of the brachioradialis muscle origin in a professional lacrosse player: a case report.J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2009;18(6):e9-e12. doi:10.1016/j.jse.2009.02.008
Yale Medicine.Is there a better way to use RICE for your injury?.
Zhai T, Jiang F, Chen Y, Wang J, Feng W.Advancing musculoskeletal diagnosis and therapy: a comprehensive review of trigger point theory and muscle pain patterns.Front Med (Lausanne). 2024 Jul;11(1):1433070. doi:10.3389/fmed.2024.1433070
Hospital for Special Surgery.Kinesiology tape: What it is and how to use it.
Behera G, Balaji G, Menon J, Sharma D, Komuravalli VK.Avulsion fracture of brachioradialis origin: An exceedingly rare entity: a case report.Malays Orthop J. 2016 Jul;10(2):50-52. doi10.5704/MOJ.1607.010
Kim JH, Hwang UJ, Jung SH, Gwak GT, Kwon OY.Immediate improvements of supination range of motion and strength following pronator teres muscle friction massage: a clinical trial comparing people with and without supination limited motion.J Man Manip Ther. 2019;27(2):109-114. doi:10.1080/10669817.2018.1542559
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