Download Anatomy of the Elbow The elbow is a hinge joint made up of the

Anatomy of the Elbow
The elbow is a hinge joint made up of the humerus, ulna and
radius.
The unique positioning and interaction of the bones in the joint
allows for a small amount of rotation as well as hinge action. This
rotation is easily noticed during activities such as hand-to-mouth
eating motions.
The primary stability of the elbow is provided by the ulnar
collateral ligament, on the medial (inner) side of the elbow.
However, one of the most common injuries to the elbow occurs on
the lateral, or outer, side of the elbow -- it is called Lateral
Epicondylitis, or Tennis Elbow.
Anatomy of the Hand & Wrist
The hand is composed
of many small bones
called carpals,
metacarpals and
phalanges.
The two bones of the
lower arm -- the
radius and the ulna -meet at the hand to
form the wrist.
The Median and Ulnar nerves are the major
nerves of the hand, running the length of the
arm to transmit electrical impulses to and from
the brain to create movement and sensation.
Anatomy of the Shoulder
The two main bones of the shoulder are the humerus and the scapula (shoulder blade).
The joint cavity is cushioned by articular cartilage covering the head of the humerus
and face of the glenoid. The scapula extends up and around the shoulder joint at the
rear to form a roof called the acromion, and around the shoulder joint at the front to
form the coracoid process.
The end of the scapula, called the
glenoid, meets the head of the
humerus to form a glenohumeral
cavity that acts as a flexible balland-socket joint.
The joint is stabilized by a ring of
fibrous cartilage surrounding the
glenoid called the labrum.
Ligaments connect the bones of the
shoulder, and tendons join the bones to
surrounding muscles. The biceps
tendon attaches the biceps muscle to
the shoulder and helps to stabilize the
joint.
Four short muscles originate on the
scapula and pass around the shoulder
where their tendons fuse together to form
the rotator cuff. All of these components
of your shoulder, along with the muscles
of your upper body, work together to
manage the stress your shoulder receives
as you extend, flex, lift and throw.
Anatomy of the Hip
The hip is a balland-socket joint
where the head of
the femur
articulates
with the cuplike
acetabulum of the
pelvic bone.
The head of the
femur and the
socket are covered
with a layer of
smooth cartilage
which cushions the
joint, and allows the
bones to move on
each other with very
little friction.
Anatomy of the Knee
The bones of the knee, the femur and the tibia,
meet to form a hinge joint.
The joint is protected in front by the patella
(kneecap). The knee joint is cushioned by articular
cartilage that covers the ends of the tibia and
femur, as well as the underside of the patella. The
lateral meniscus and medial meniscus are pads of
cartilage that further cushion the joint, acting as
shock absorbers between the bones.
Ligaments help to stabilize the knee. The collateral
ligaments run along the sides of the knee and limit
sideways motion. The anterior cruciate ligament, or
ACL, connects the tibia to the femur at the center of
the knee. Its function is to limit rotation and forward
motion of the tibia. (A damaged ACL is replaced in a
procedure known as an ACL Reconstruction.) The
posterior cruciate ligament, or PCL (located just
behind the ACL) limits backward motion of the tibia.
These components of your knee, along with the
muscles of your leg, work together to manage the
stress your knee receives as you walk, run and jump.