Posterior compartment of the forearm Posterior compartment of the forearm The posterior compartment of the forearm (or extensor compartment) contains twelve muscles which are chiefly responsible for extension of the wrist and digits, and supination of the forearm. It is separated from the anterior compartment by the interosseous membrane between the radius and ulna. There are generally twelve muscles in the posterior compartment of the forearm, which can be further divided into a superficial, intermediate, and deep layer. Most of the muscles in the superficial and the intermediate layers share a common origin which is the outer part of the elbow, the lateral epicondyle of
Posterior compartment of the forearm tumour. In the superfamily hominoidea or apes, configurations of the muscles of the posterior compartment of the forearm share similar characteristics. However, the anconeus is usually not present in the hylobates (gibbons). Also, the extensor pollicis brevis is only present in the genus homo (humans) and the genus hylobates because the extensor pollicis brevis and the abductor pollicis longus exist as a single muscle in other genera. Posterior compartment of the forearm The posterior compartment of the forearm (or extensor compartment) contains twelve muscles which are chiefly responsible for extension of the wrist and digits, and supination of the forearm.