Introduction Palmaris longus (PL) is phylogenetically classified as a retrogressive muscle with a long tendon. The length and location of the PL tendon makes it very useful in reconstructive surgery. Agenesis of PL tendon shows strong racial variations. Past studies show absence of 2.8% to 25% depending on ethnicity. Chinese have a low absence rate of 6.0% whilst Caucasian subjects had a high a...

A spontaneous rupture of the extensor pollicis longus (EPL) tendon is associated with rheumatoid arthritis, fractures of the wrist, systemic or local steroids and repetitive, and excessive abnormal motion of the wrist joint. The authors encountered a case of a spontaneous rupture of the EPL tendon. The patient had no predisposing factors including trauma or steroid injection. Although the patie...

We randomized patients with open finger injury and central slip insertion defects into a proximal turn-down group (final n = 28) and a palmaris longus tendon graft group (final n = 20). In the proximal turn-down group, the dorsal central slip of the extensor tendon in the proximal phalanx was split, leaving it attached distally. We turned the strip from proximal to distal and fixed it using the...

A systematic morphological investigation of human palmaris longus tendons by polarisation microscopy and low angle x-ray diffraction is reported. It is shown that contrary to some previously reported observations, and in common with other tension bearing soft collagenous tissues, the fibres in this tendon are crimped. A new method of preparation of the tissue enabling one to see directly the cr...

The palmaris longus muscle is the most superficial muscle of the volar forearm which demonstrates significant anatomical variance. A reversed palmaris longus muscle is one such variant. Here we discuss two cases in which reversed palmaris longus was postulated as a cause of wrist discomfort.

Superficial flexors gastrocnemius, plantaris and soleus form the bulk of the calf. The small plantaris muscle is the lower limb equivalent of palmaris longus. It arises from the lower part of the lateral supracondylar line and the oblique popliteal ligament. Its fusiform belly is 7 to 10 cm long and ends in a long slender tendon which crosses obliquely between gastrocnemius and soleus, runs dis...