Download Bones of the Upper Limbs

Bones of the Upper
Limbs
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The point of attachment for the upper
limb is at the shoulder.
Two bones are involved here and make
up what is known as the “shoulder
girdle”:
 1. The clavicle
 2. The scapula
Together, these two bones allow the
upper limb to have maximum
movement.
The Clavicle
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AKA the “collarbone”
It is slender and doubly curved.
It attaches to the manubrium of the sternum
medially and to the scapula laterally.
It acts as a brace to hold the arm away from
the thorax and it helps to prevent shoulder
dislocation.
** Has a sternal end and an acromial end.
The Scapula
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AKA the “shoulder blade”
Has a triangular shape is are commonly referred
to as “wings”
Has a flat body with 2 important processes:
– 1. acromion – the enlarged end that connects
with the clavicle
– 2. the coracoid – a beaklike structure that
points over the top of the humerus.
The Scapula
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Has 3 borders:
– 1. superior
– 2. lateral (axillary)
– 3. medial (vertebral)
The glenoid fossa (cavity) is the shallow
socket that holds the head of the arm
bone.
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There are 30 separate bones that
make up the skeleton of the upper
limb.
They are composed of:
– The arm (1 bone)
– The forearm (2 bones)
– The hand (27 bones)
The Arm
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Formed by a long bone called the humerus.
The proximal head is
round and fits into the
glenoid fossa of the
scapula.
The distal end has two
bony projections known
as epicondyles.
The Forearm
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Is made up of 2 bones:
– The radius and the ulna.
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In anatomical position, the
radius is the lateral bone and
is on the thumb side
When the palm is facing backwards, the
radius is medial to the ulna.
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The 2 bones are
connected along their
entire lengths by an
flexible interosseous
membrane
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The ulna is the medial bone (little finger
side) of the forearm.
At the proximal end
are coronoid process
and the olecranon
process which surround
and hold the humerous
at the elbow joint.
The Hand
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The skeleton of the hand consists of:
carpals, metacarpals, and phalanges.
Carpal Bones
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Made up of 8 bones
are arranged in two
irregular rows of four
bones each.
The bones are held
together by
ligaments which keep
them from moving
around.
AKA the “wrist”
The Metacarpals and
Phalanges
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The palm of the hand
consists of metacarpals
Numbered 1 – 5 (thumb
to pinkie)
The phalanges are the
bones of the fingers (14
bones total – proximal,
medial, distal).