Appendicular skeleton

Appendicular skeleton consist of bones of the appendages (limbs) and bones of two grids
(pelvic and pectoral) that joints the limbs to the axial skeleton. Appendicular skeleton is
made up of 126 bones. This skeleton is responsible for the physical movements of the body.
Appendicular skeleton also maintains homeostasis, protect organs like reproductive organs
and allows storage and release of calcium

Skeleton of upper limb:

Clavicle: The anterior bone is long and slender in appearance. It is situated horizontally
across the front portion of the thorax, superior to the first rib. The medial half of the clavicle
bone is convex anteriorly and the lateral half is concave posteriorly, hence bone is assumed
an S-shaped.

 The sternal end (medial end) of the clavicle

fuses with manubrium of the sternum to from
sternoclavicular joints. The lateral end of
clavicle (acromial end) fuses with acromion of
the scapula at acromioclavicular joint.
 The clavicle fuses with scapula via conoid
ligament and with the first rib via costclavicular
ligament.
 The collar bone is significance as it holds the arm away from the superior position of the
thorax and thus prevent the danger of shoulder fracture

Scapula/shoulder bone:

Scapula is larger flat, triangular bone present on the upper portion pf the posterior thorax and
in between the 2nd and the 7th ribs. On the posterior surface of the scapula is ridge known as
spine that proceeds in diagonal direction,

A flat expanded process known as acromion

extends from the side portions of the spine which
fuses with the acromial end of clavicle and from
acromioclavicular joint.

 It is described as having the three borders,

three angles, and three fossac.
 The three border are superior, medial,
lateral
 o The superior border has a suprascapular notch at its lateral end separating it from
the root of coracoid process.
o The medial border is sharp, extend from superior to inferior angle
o The lateral border is thick and extends from infraglenoid tuberosity to the
inferior angle.
 The three angles of the bone are superior, inferior and lateral
o Superior angle is the point at which the superior and the medial border of the
scapula meet.
o Inferior angle is the point at which the superior medial borders of the scapula
meet.it lies seventh rib
o The lateral angle or head or glenoid cavity is pyriform in shape with apex
upwards. It articulates with head of the humerus and from shoulder joint
 The spine of the scapula is a triangular projection of the bone from dorsal at right angles
from the lateral end of the spine.
 Projecting forward from the superior border is the coracoid process which gives
attachment to muscles and ligaments

Humerus:

Humerus is the largest as well as the longest bone of the upper limb.it is made up of the
following, head, neck, body/shaft

 It is present a proximal end, shaft, distal end

 The head is globular, articular, and is covered by
hyaline cartilage. It articulates with the glenoid cavity
of the scapula and from the shoulder joints
 The neck is slightly constricted part just distal to head.
 Between the neck and shaft there are two roughened
projection of bone
o Greater and lesser tubercle
 The body/ shaft of the bone is cylindrical and present
three borders and three sides. The shaft becomes flattened
on its anterior and posterior surface towards the distal end
 In the middle, a rough V-shaped structure known as deltoid tuberosity is present to which
the tendons of deltoid muscle attach.
 Additionally there are two depressions which are interspersed by rough projections
known as medial and lateral epicondyles
Ulna and radius or bones of the forearm

Forearm is made up of two bones ulna and radius. Ulan is the long medial bone of the forearm
and radius is the short, lateral bone, the forearm. Both
run parallel to each other. Ulna is present on the little
finger side and radius on the thumb side.

The shaft is fused all along their entire length via

interosseous membrane. This membrane helps the bones
to maintain their position inspite of the stress applied
from the wrist or elbow

Bones of hands

Carpals, metacarpals and phalanges together constituents the skeleton if

hand

Carpals/wrist bone is made up of eight carpal bones that are divided

into two transvers rows known as proximal and distal rows

 Proximal the four of the row from the lateral to medial surface
are scaphoid, lunate triquetrum and pisiform bone.
 Distal row that extend from the lateral to medial surface are
trapezium, trapezoid, capitate and hamate bone

Metacarpals/palm bone long bones of the palm region it constitutes

five metacarpal bones which are numbered as 1-5, each metacarpal
bone made up of three portions the proximal end(the base), the
intermediate portion(the shaft), the distal end

Phalanges/finger bones the distal portion of the hand is digits (fingers) bones are called
phalanges. These are 14 phalanges in each hands, each finger contain three phalanges except for
the thumb which contains only two. The proximal phalanx of each finger is the largest and
articulates with corresponding metacarpal bone at one end with the middle phalanx at the other
end
Skeleton of pelvic/hip girdle and Lower limb

The bones which make the pelvis, girdle or pelvis are - 2 innominate bone and one sacrum. The
bones of the lower libs are strong and thicker when compared to the bones of upper limb because
these are bear the weight of the entire body when an individual stand.

 There are two lower limbs, each containing 30 bones located in four different regions as
follows:
o Femur bone in thigh region
o Patella/knee cap bone
o Tibia and fibula in leg
o Seven tarsal bones in ankle region, five metatarsal bone and 14 phalanges in the
foot

Pelvic/hip girdle

The two hip bone which is called as coxal or pelvic bones constituents the pelvic girdle. Pelvic
girdle serves as a link between bone of lower limbs and axial skeleton.

 Innominate/hip bone
o Pelvic girdle is characterized by the presence of
two hip bones, each which is formed by three
bones with cartilage, Superior ilium, Inferior
and anterior pubis, inferior and posterior
ischium are the three bones which remains
separated until the age 23.
o It is irregular bone constricted in the middle and
expanded above and below. The two hip bones
together with the sacrum and the coccyx form
the bony pelvi

 Pelvis
o Basin shaped bony structure known as pelvis is formed by the hip bones, coccyx
and sacrum. The pelvis acts as a supporting structure for the vertebral column and
lower abdominal organs
o Pelvic brim is the boundary line which separates superior and inferior portion.
o At the pelvis there is ridge of bone called the brim of the pelvis.
o Bony portion of the pelvis present above the pelvic brim known as false pelvis
and below is true pelvis.
Femur or thigh bone

It is the longest and strongest bone in the body. Its length is

45 cm in 6ft.person. Femur, the single, long and only bone
of the thigh is regarded as the heaviest bone in the body.

The proximal end of femur is made up of head and neck

portions.

 Head: it is rounded structure at proximal end which

fuses with acetabulum of hip bone to form the hip joint.
 Neck: Next to head is constricted region known as neck. Maximum portion of the neck
remains within the acetabulum of hip bone. The neck is 5 cm. long and joint with the
shaft.it helps in the movement of lower limb
 Body/shaft: the immediate portion after neck is known as body/shaft. Tendon of high
muscles attach to the body of femur at vertical ridges known as gluteal tuberosity and
linea aspera

The lower end distal end presents two condyles-lateral and medial. These two condyles takes
part in the formation of knee joint

Patella/kneecap:

Patella is flat, triangular shaped bone present on the posterior

surface of the knee joint.

It consists of a base and apex. It fuses with medial and lateral

condyles of femur via two articulate facets present an posterior
surface.

It mainly serves to protect the knee joint during bending, by

enhancing the leverage of tendon of quadriceps femoris muscle
Tibia and fibula

Both tibia and fibula together form the skeleton of the leg. Both these
bones lie parallel to each other. Tibia also known as shin bone, is the
larger bone of the leg that bears the weight of the body.it is also fuses
with head of the fibula at a portion below the lateral condyle and form a
joint known as proximal tibiofibular joint.

Fibula is also known as calf, is smaller than tibia and regarded as the
most slender bone of the body. Present lateral to the tibia, fibula play a
role in stabilizing the ankle joint.