Bones of Limbs: Comprehensive Anatomical Notes

Bones of Limbs

Girdle

  • Bones of the girdle connect the limbs to the axial skeleton.

Bones of Free Limb

  • These are the bones that make up the mobile portions of the limbs.

Bones of Upper Limbs

  • Composition:
    • Shoulder girdle: clavicle, scapula
    • Bones of free upper limb:
      • humerus
      • radius and ulna
      • carpal bones
      • metacarpal bones
      • phalanges

Shoulder Girdle

  • Connects the upper limb to the trunk.

Clavicle

  • sternal end, acromial end
  • “S” shaped
  • medial 2/3 convex forward and lateral 1/3 convex backward

Scapula

  • Three borders
    • Superior: scapular notch, coracoid process
    • Lateral (axillary) border
    • Medial (vertebral) border
  • Three angles
    • Superior: opposite to the 2nd rib
    • Inferior: opposite to the 7th rib
    • Lateral: glenoid cavity
  • Two surfaces
    • Anterior surface: subscapular fossa
    • Posterior surface: supraspinous fossa, infraspinous fossa, spine of scapula, acromion

Humerus

  • Upper end: head of humerus, anatomical neck, greater and lesser tubercles, intertubercular groove, surgical neck
  • Shaft: deltoid tuberosity, groove for radial nerve
  • Lower end: capitulum, trochlea of humerus, olecranon fossa, coronoid fossa, lateral and medial epicondyles, sulcus for ulnar nerve

Radius

  • Upper end: head of radius, neck of radius, radial tuberosity
  • Lower end: styloid process, ulnar notch, carpal articular surface
  • Shaft: interosseous border
  • Fracture of the distal end of the radius is a common injury.

Ulna

  • Upper end: olecranon, coronoid process, trochlear notch, radial notch, ulnar tuberosity
  • Lower end: styloid process, head of ulna

Carpal Bones

  • scaphoid
  • lunate
  • triquetral
  • pisiform
  • trapezium
  • trapezoid
  • capitate
  • hamate

Metacarpal Bones

  • base
  • shaft
  • head

Phalanges

  • base
  • shaft
  • head

Bones of Lower Limb

  • Composition:
    • Pelvic girdle: hip bone
    • Bones of free lower limb:
      • femur
      • patella
      • tibia and fibula
      • tarsal bones
      • metatarsal bones
      • phalanges of toes

Hip Bone

  • Consisting of three fused bones:
    • ilium
    • ischium
    • pubis

Ilium

  • Body of ilium
  • Ala of ilium
  • iliac crest
  • anterior superior iliac spine
  • anterior inferior iliac spine
  • tubercle of iliac crest
  • posterior superior iliac spine
  • posterior inferior iliac spine
  • greater sciatic notch
  • iliac fossa
  • arcuate line
  • auricular surface

Ischium

  • Body of ischium: ischial spine, lesser sciatic notch
  • Ramus of ischium, ischial tuberosity

Pubis

  • Body of pubis
  • superior ramus of pubis, pecten of pubis, pubic tubercle, pubic crest, symphysial surface
  • inferior ramus of pubis
  • obturator foramen

Acetabulum

  • lunate surface
  • acetabular fossa
  • acetabular notch

Femur

  • Upper end:
    • femoral head
    • neck of femur
    • greater trochanter
    • lesser trochanter
    • intertrochanteric line
    • intertrochanteric crest
  • Shaft: linea aspera, gluteal tuberosity
  • Lower end:
    • medial and lateral condyles and epicondyles
    • adductor tubercle
    • intercondylar fossa
    • patellar surface

Tibia

  • Upper end:
    • medial and lateral condyles
    • intercondylar eminence
    • fibular articular surface
    • tuberosity of tibia
  • Shaft: interosseous border
  • Lower end: fibular notch, medial malleolus

Fibula

  • Upper end: fibular head, neck of fibula
  • Shaft: interosseous border
  • Lower end: lateral malleolus

Patella

  • sesamoid bone

Tarsal Bones

  • talus: trochlea of talus
  • calcaneus
  • navicular
  • cuboid
  • cuneiform

Metatarsal Bones

  • base
  • shaft
  • head

Phalanges of Toes

  • base
  • shaft
  • head