upper limb dermatomes
Last reviewed 04/2022
The upper limb dermatomes are areas of skin on the upper limb that are supplied by a single posterior spinal nerve root.
An approximate guide to root and area is as follows:
ROOT AREA SUPPLIED
- C4 shoulder tip
- C5 outer part of the upper arm
- C6 lateral aspect of the forearm and the thumb
- C7 middle finger
- C8 little finger
- T1 medial aspect of the upper arm
For reference, more caudally:
- T7 xiphisternum
- T10 level of umbilicus