The brachioradialis is a muscle located in your forearm. It plays a crucial role in the movement of your forearm. This muscle starts from the lower part of your upper arm bone, known as the humerus, and extends down to attach to the radius bone in your forearm, near your wrist.
When you use your brachioradialis, its primary function is to help flex the forearm at the elbow. This is the action you perform when you bring your lower arm up towards your shoulder, like when you perform a bicep curl. Besides bending the elbow, the brachioradialis also assists in rotating your forearm. It helps turn the palm of your hand upward (supination) and downward (pronation), although these are not its main actions.
This muscle is particularly active when you lift objects with your palm facing down or sideways. It’s not as involved when your palm faces up, which is when other muscles, mainly the biceps, play a larger role. The brachioradialis is unique because it can adapt its function based on the position of your hand and the specific demands of the activity you are engaged in.
Strengthening the brachioradialis can improve grip strength and forearm robustness, which are beneficial for various sports and physical activities. Exercises that target this muscle include hammer curls and reverse bicep curls. During these exercises, the positioning of your hands helps focus more of the workload on the brachioradialis rather than other arm muscles. Regularly incorporating these exercises into your routine can help enhance the strength and endurance of your forearms.