National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) Practice Exam

Which muscle is NOT innervated by the anterior interosseous nerve?

1. Radial half of flexor digitorum profundus

2. Flexor pollicis longus

3. Pronator teres

4. Pronator quadratus

The correct answer is: Pronator teres

The anterior interosseous nerve is a branch of the median nerve that primarily supplies the deep muscles in the forearm. It is responsible for innervating certain flexor and pronator muscles, specifically the flexor pollicis longus, the radial half of the flexor digitorum profundus, and the pronator quadratus. The pronator teres, while also involved in forearm pronation, is primarily innervated by the median nerve, not the anterior interosseous nerve. This is crucial because the pronator teres is a more superficial muscle, distinct from those typically supplied by the anterior interosseous nerve. Therefore, identifying that the pronator teres is not innervated by the anterior interosseous nerve emphasizes the importance of nerve distribution and the functional significance of each muscle involved in movements of the forearm and hand.