Brachial plexus Facts for Kids

The right brachial plexus with its short branches, viewed from in front.

The brachial plexus is a group of nerves. It runs from the vertebral column to the arm.

Structure

The brachial plexus is divided into five roots, three trunks, six divisions, three cords, and five branches.

The five roots come out of the spinal cord. They are each named after the part of the spinal cord they come out of: C5, C6, C7, C8, and T1.

These roots join to form three trunks:

Each trunk then splits into two divisions:

These six divisions join up again to become the three cords.

The posterior cord is formed from the three posterior divisions of the trunks (C5-C8,T1)
The lateral cord is formed from the anterior divisions of the upper and middle trunks (C5-C7)
The medial cord is simply a continuation of the anterior division of the lower trunk (C8,T1)

Drawing of the brachial plexus using colour to show where all the different nerves come from

The brachial plexus

The nerves that come out of the brachial plexus include:

This shows a simulated example of motorcyclist colliding with the floor at an angle, which may damage the brachial plexus nerves. The photo shows how head and shoulder are extremely separated, which may stretch or even tear the nerves in the between area. Protective gear can help prevent nerve damage by providing extra support on the opposite side of the head to prevent over-stretching the neck.
The brachial plexus surrounds the brachial artery.
Nerves in the infraclavicular portion of the right brachial plexus in the axillary fossa.
Mind map showing branches of brachial plexus