Appendicular Skeleton Flashcards

Flashcards from lecture notes on the appendicular skeleton for exam review.

Appendicular Skeleton

Includes the bones not part of the axial skeleton, such as the pectoral girdle, upper limb, pelvic girdle, and lower limb.

Pectoral Girdle

Also known as the shoulder girdle, it includes the clavicle and scapula.

Clavicle

“Collar Bone”; helps stabilize the shoulder and is commonly broken; has a sternal end and acromial end.

Scapula

“Shoulder blade”; features include the spine, glenoid cavity (for humerus attachment), acromion process (articulates with clavicle), and coracoid process (for tendon/ligament attachment).

Upper Extremity Bones

Bones of the upper limb including the humerus, radius, ulna, carpals, metacarpals, and phalanges.

Humerus

Articulates with the scapula to form the shoulder joint and has structures like the greater tubercle, lesser tubercle, anatomical neck, surgical neck, deltoid tuberosity, etc.

Ulna

Located on the medial aspect of the forearm and includes structures like the olecranon, coronoid process, trochlear notch, radial notch, head, and styloid process.

Radius

Located on the lateral aspect of the forearm and includes structures like the head, neck, radial tuberosity, ulnar notch, and styloid process.

Carpals

Eight bones arranged in two rows of four, tightly bound by ligaments; includes the scaphoid, lunate, triquetrum, pisiform, trapezium, trapezoid, capitate, and hamate.

Metacarpals

Five bones in the palm of the hand, numbered 1-5 starting with the thumb; features include the head (knuckles) and base.

Phalanges

Fourteen total; three in each finger except the thumb, which has two; includes proximal, middle, and distal rows.

Pelvic Girdle

Provides support for the spine and protection for pelvic cavity organs; joins with the axial skeleton at the sacrum; comprised of the ilium, ischium, and pubis.

Ilium

Largest part of the hip bone; features include the iliac crest, posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS), anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS), greater sciatic notch, and iliac fossa.

Ischium

Inferior part of the pelvis; features include the ischial tuberosity, ischial spine, and lesser sciatic notch.

Pubis

Anterior/Inferior portion of the pelvic girdle that joins to form the pubic symphysis.

Acetabulum

Formed by the combination of all three pelvic bones (ilium, ischium, and pubis); the femur joins here to make the hip.

Obturator Foramen

Formed by the union of the pubis and ischium and is the largest foramen in the body.

Pubic Symphysis

Formed by the union of the pubic bones.

Lower Extremity Bones

Bones of the lower limb including the femur, patella, tibia, fibula, tarsals, metatarsals, and phalanges.

Femur

Longest and strongest bone in the body; features include the head, anatomical neck, surgical neck, greater trochanter, lesser trochanter, etc.

Patella

Kneecap; articulates with the lateral and medial condyles of the femur.

Tibia

Shin bone; weight-bearing bone of the lower leg on the medial side; features include the lateral condyle, medial condyle, tibial tuberosity, and medial malleolus.

Fibula

Thinner, non-weight-bearing bone on the lateral side of the lower leg; features the lateral malleolus.

Tarsals

Seven bones including the talus, calcaneus, navicular, third cuneiform, second cuneiform, first cuneiform, and cuboid.

Metatarsals

Five bones numbered 1-5 starting with the big toe; features include the head and base.

Phalanges (Foot)

Fourteen total; three in each toe except the big toe, which has two; includes proximal, middle, and distal rows.

Arches of the Foot

Created by the bones of the foot to help distribute weight; includes the longitudinal arch (front to back) and transverse arch (side to side).