Based on the provided reference, the ulnar nerve in the wrist primarily serves a sensory function, providing feeling to the medial (little finger) side of the wrist.
The ulnar nerve plays a crucial role in the function and sensation of the hand and forearm. While it provides motor control to many hand muscles and some forearm muscles, its specific function at the wrist level, according to the provided reference, is related to sensation.
Specifically, the reference states that the ulnar nerve supplies sensory cutaneous innervation to the medial wrist. This means the nerve is responsible for transmitting sensory information from the skin on the inner or little finger side of the wrist back to the brain, allowing you to feel touch, temperature, and pain in that area.
In addition to the wrist, the reference highlights other areas where the ulnar nerve provides sensory innervation:
- Medial forearm: The inner side of the forearm.
- Medial one and one-half digits: This refers to the skin on the little finger and half of the ring finger.
Think of sensory cutaneous innervation as the nerve fibers that connect your skin to your nervous system, allowing you to perceive sensations. At the wrist, the ulnar nerve ensures that the skin on the "pinky side" of your wrist has feeling.
Here's a quick breakdown of the ulnar nerve's sensory innervation areas mentioned in the reference:
| Area | Sensory Function Provided by Ulnar Nerve |
|---|---|
| Medial Forearm | Sensory cutaneous innervation |
| Medial Wrist | Sensory cutaneous innervation |
| Medial 1.5 Digits | Sensory cutaneous innervation |
Understanding this sensory role at the wrist is important, as issues like compression (e.g., in Guyon's canal near the wrist) can impact this feeling, leading to numbness or tingling in the medial wrist area and fingers.
