Mnemonic for spinal nerve contributions of brachial plexus terminal nerves.

There is a little trick to assist you in remembering the spinal nerve contributions to the five terminal branches of the brachial plexus. With this method, imagine that your digits are numbered, starting with your thumb as C5 and continue until your fifth digits as T1. Each finger now represents a root of the brachial plexus. When using the method below, the fingers that are upraised represent the roots for that nerve (branch of the brachial plexus):

Musculocutaneous C5- C7 “gun” (with thumb, pointer, and middle finger)

Median C5- T1 “high 5” (all fingers)

Ulnar C7- T1 “okay” (middle, ring and pinky fingers)

Axillary C5- C6 “pinch” (thumb and pointer) [*pinch your armpit]

Radial C5- T1 “high 5” (all fingers)

(Click on picture to see larger)

The spinal nerve contributions to the other branches of the brachial plexus are:

Nerves / Roots / Source

Dorsal Scapular (C5) C5 root

Long Thoracic (C5 - C7) C5- C7 roots

Suprascapular (C5 - C6) Superior trunk

Nerve to Subclavius (C5 - C6) Superior trunk

Lateral Pectoral (C5 - C7) Lateral Cord

Thoracodorsal (C6 - C8) Posterior Cord

Upper Subscapular (C5 - C6) Posterior Cord

Lower Subscapular (C5 - C6) Posterior Cord

Medial Pectoral (C8 - T1) Medial Cord

Medial Brachial Cutaneous (C8 - T1) Medial Cord

Medial Antibrachial Cutaneous (C8 - T1) Medial Cord

(Refer to the diagram at the top of this post for further reference.)

[If you come up with a mnemonic for the other branches of the brachial plexus, let me know!]