Anatomical Structures of the Upper Limb

Anatomical Structures

• Shoulder Joint: A complex ball-and-socket joint connecting the upper arm bone (humerus) to the shoulder blade (scapula).
• Elbow Joint: A hinge joint formed by the humerus, radius, and ulna.
• Superior Radio-ulnar Joint: A pivot joint located above the elbow.
• Middle Radio-ulnar Joint: A pivot joint located in the middle of the forearm.
• Inferior Radio-ulnar Joint: A pivot joint located below the elbow.
• Wrist Joint: A complex joint between the forearm bones (radius and ulna) and the carpal bones of the hand.
• Clavicle: Collarbone, a long, S-shaped bone connecting the sternum (breastbone) to the acromion of the scapula. It has a lateral (acromial) and medial (sternal) end.
• Clavicle Features: Inferior surface, trapezoid line, subclavius groove, conoid tubercle, impression for costo-clavicular ligament.
• Scapula: Shoulder blade, a flat, triangular bone in the posterior thorax. It has 3 borders (superior, medial, lateral) and 3 angles (superior, inferior, lateral).
• Scapula Features: Superior border, lateral border, medial border, superior angle, lateral angle, inferior angle, acromion, spine, coracoid process.
• Fossae of Scapula: Subscapular fossa, supraspinous fossa, infraspinous fossa.
• Humerus Features: Upper end (head, anatomical neck, greater tuberosity, lesser tuberosity, surgical neck), bicipital groove, shaft (deltoid tuberosity, spiral groove),lower end( lateral supracondylar ridge, medial supracondylar ridge, radial fossa, coronoid fossa, lateral epicondyle, medial epicondyle, capitulum, trochlea, olecranon fossa).
• Ulna: One of the two forearm bones, located medially. It has an upper end with a radial notch, olecranon, coronoid process and an ulnar tuberosity. The shaft has a interosseous border. The lower end displays an ulnar notch.
• Radius: The other forearm bone, located laterally. It has an upper end with a head, neck, radial tuberosity, and shaft with an interosseous border and a lower end with a styloid process.
• Hip Joint: Ball-and-socket joint between the head of the femur and the acetabulum of the hip bone (formed by the ilium, ischium, and pubis).
• Knee Joint: Hinge joint between the femur, tibia, and patella.
• Superior Tibiofibular Joint: Plane joint between the head of the fibula and the lateral condyle of the tibia.
• Inferior Tibiofibular Joint: Syndesmosis joint between the distal ends of the tibia and fibula, allowing limited movement.
• Hip Bone (Coxal Bone): Ilium, ischium, pubis.
• Hip Bone Parts: Iliac crest, anterior superior iliac spine, anterior inferior iliac spine, posterior superior iliac spine, posterior inferior iliac spine, greater sciatic foramen.
• Hip Bone Other Features: Acetabulum, pubis, obturator foramen, iliac fossa, iliac tuberosity, auricular surface.
• Femur: Thigh bone, long bone in the thigh. It has a head, neck, greater trochanter, lesser trochanter, intertrochanter line, intertrochanter crest, shaft (posterior border, linea aspra).
• Femur Features: Gluteal tuberosity, lateral lip, lateral supracondylar ridge, popliteal surface, medial lip, medial supracondylar ridge. Lower end( medial condyle, lateral condyle, intercondyler fossa, patellar surface),
• Tibia: Shinbone, long bone in the lower leg. It displays an upper end with a head, lateral condyle, fibular facet, medial condyle, and tibial tuberosity. The shaft (anterior border, soleal line); the lower end.
• Skull: A complex structure composed of several bones.
• Cranial Bones: Frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal, sphenoid, ethmoid.
• Cranial Sutures: Coronal, sagittal, lambdoid.
• Cranial Features: Bregma, lambda, parietal eminence, parietal emissary foramen, anterior fontanelle, posterior fontanelle, norma verticalis, norma frontalis, norma occipitalis, supraorbital notch / foramen, infra-orbital foramen, zygomatic arch, maxilla, nasal bone, temporal fossa, external auditory meatus, mastoid process, styloid process, infratemporal fossa, occipital condyle, foramen magnum

Vertebral Column Structures:

• Vertebrae: Cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, coccyx.

• Vertebral Body: Anterior portion of a vertebra.

• Vertebral Arch: Posterior portion of a vertebra.

• Pedicle: Part of the vertebral arch connecting the lamina to the vertebral body.

• Lamina: Part of the vertebral arch, located posterior to the pedicle.

• Vertebral Features: Superior articular process, transverse process, spine, inferior articular process, vertebra foramen, foramen transversarium, costal facet.

• Types of vertebrae:

  • Cervical vertebrae (7): Typically have a bifid spinous process, prominent foramen transversarium.
  • Thoracic vertebrae (12): Have costal facets for articulation with ribs.
  • Lumbar vertebrae (5): Large, robust, without costal facets or foramen transversarium; large size & robust
  • Typical vs Atypical: Some vertebrae have features that deviate from the typical pattern, e.g., the 1st (Atlas) and 2nd (Axis) cervical vertebrae.

• Sacrum and Coccyx: Form the inferior end of the vertebral column.

• Sacrum: Large triangular shaped bone.

• Coccyx: Small triangular bone.