UMEM Educational Pearls

Category: Neurology

Title: Sensory Function of Hand Examination

Keywords: hand examination, sensory function, median nerve, ulnar nerve, radial nerve (PubMed Search)

Posted: 8/25/2010 by Aisha Liferidge, MD (Updated: 8/28/2014)
Click here to contact Aisha Liferidge, MD

When examining the hand, care should be taken to thoroughly assess both the sensory and motor function on both the dorsal and palmar surfaces.

The dermatomes of the hand provide sensation and are comprised of the ulnar, median, and radial nerves (see diagram below).

(1) Light touch, (2) sharp touch (i.e. pinprick), (3) temperature, (4) propioception (joint position sense), (5) vibration, and (6) 2-point discrimination in the following nerve distributions should be assessed:

-- ulnar nerve >>> supplies palmar surface and dorsal tips of little finger and medial half of ring finger, including

adjacent parts of hand.

-- median nerve >>> supplies palmar and dorsal aspects of thumb, index finger, middle finger, and lateral half

of ring finger, including adjacent parts of hand.

-- radial nerve >>> supplies most of dorsal surface of hand.