anatomy/radial-artery·Artery
Radial artery
Arteria radialis
The artery on the thumb side of the forearm. This is where you feel the pulse at the wrist.
// Structure & location
The radial artery runs along the thumb side of the forearm to the wrist, where it lies just under the skin over the lower end of the radius. It then enters the hand and, together with the ulnar artery, forms arches of vessels in the palm.
// Function
It supplies muscles and skin on the thumb side of the forearm and much of the hand. According to OpenStax, the pulse reflects the expansion and recoil of the artery with every heartbeat.
// For training & sport
- To take your pulse, place index and middle finger on the thumb side of the wrist, count for 15 seconds and multiply by 4.
- Measured in the morning after waking, this is your resting heart rate. If it rises clearly over several days, that can point to too little recovery or an infection.
// Good to know
Today the catheter for heart examinations is often inserted through the radial artery, because the spot is easy to reach and bleeds less often than the groin.
// Sources
last reviewed: 2026-11-14