Table 1 Upper limb muscles function, innervation [4] and the detail of the consequences of spinal cord injury level on muscle innervation

Shoulder scapulo- thoracic

Serratus anterior

Protraction & upward rotation

Long thoracic

C5 C6 C7

-

±

±

±

+

+

Trapezius upper part

Elevation

Accessory spinal

XI

+

+

+

+

+

+

Trapezius middle part

Retraction

+

+

+

+

+

+

Trapezius lower part

Downward rotation

+

+

+

+

+

+

Pectoralis minor

Depression & anterior tipping

Medial pectoral

C8 T1

-

-

-

-

±

±

Shoulder gleno- humeral

Deltoïd anterior part & Coracobrachialis

Flexion

Axillary

C5 C6

-

±

±

+

+

+

Deltoïd medius part

Abduction

-

±

±

+

+

+

Deltoïd posterior part

Extension

-

±

±

+

+

+

Pectoralis major upper part

Flexion/Adduction/Medial rotation

Lateral pectoral

C5 C6 C7

-

±

±

±

+

+

Pectoralis major middle & lower parts

Flexion/Adduction/Medial rotation

Medial pectoral

C8 T1

-

-

-

-

±

±

Lattissimus dorsi

Extension/Adduction/Medial rotation

Thoracodorsal

C6 C7 C8

-

-

±

±

±

+

Teres major

Extension/Adduction/Medial rotation

Subscapularis

C5 C6 C7

-

±

±

±

+

+

Subscapularis

Medial rotation

-

±

±

±

+

+

Supraspinatus

Abduction

-

±

±

±

+

+

Infraspinatus

Lateral rotation

-

±

±

±

+

+

Teres minor

Lateral rotation

Axillary

C5 C6

-

±

±

+

+

+

Elbow

Biceps brachii

Flexion

Musculo-cutaneous

C5 C6

-

±

±

+

+

+

Brachialis

Flexion

-

±

±

+

+

+

Brachioradialis

Flexion

-

±

±

+

+

+

Triceps brachii

Extension

Radial

C7 C8 T1

-

-

-

±

±

±

Wrist

Extensor carpi radialis longus & brevis

Extension

Radial

C6 C7 C8

-

-

±

±

±

+

Extensor carpi ulnaris

Extension

C7 C8

-

-

-

±

±

+

Flexor carpi radialis

Flexion

Median

C6 C7

-

-

±

±

+

+

Flexor carpi ulnaris

Flexion

Ulnar

C7 C8

-

-

-

±

±

+

Fingers & thumb

Flexor digitorum superficialis

Flexion

Median

C7 C8 T1

-

-

-

±

±

±

Flexor digitorum profundus

Flexion

Median & ulnar

C8 T1

-

-

-

-

±

±

Extensor digitorum

Extension

Radial

C6 C7 C8

-

-

±

±

±

+

Flexor pollicis longus & brevis

Flexion

Median

C8 T1

-

-

-

-

±

±

Extensor pollicis longus & brevis

Extension

Radial

C7 C8

-

-

-

±

±

+

Abductor pollicis longus

Abduction

-

-

-

±

±

+

Abductor pollicis brevis

Abduction

Median

C8 T1

-

-

-

-

±

±

Opponens pollicis

Opposition

-

-

-

-

±

±

Adductor pollicis and intrinsic¹

adduction &²

Ulnar

C8 T1

-

-

-

-

±

±

Abductor digitorum minimi

Abduction

Ulnar

T1

-

-

-

-

-

±