AXIAL SKELETON

Cervical Vertebrae

 The cervical vertebrae (C1–C7) are the most variable of the vertebrae
 This variability is due to the fact that the general structure
of the first two vertebrae in this region is modified significantly
from the structures of the remaining five cervical vertebrae.
Surface Features

have three foramina:

one vertebral foramen
two of the transverse foramina
The vertebral foramina of cervical vertebrae are the largest in the
spinal column because they house the cervical enlargement of the
spinal cord
a transverse foramen through which a vertebral artery and its accompanying vein and nerve
fibers pass
 atlas,
 axis
Thoracic Vertebrae

 are considerably larger and stronger than cervical vertebrae

Surface Features
 The most distinguishing feature of thoracic vertebrae is that they articulate with the ribs
 Movements of the thoracic region are limited by thin intervertebral discs and by the
attachment of the ribs to the sternum.
Lumbar Vertebrae

 are the largest and strongest of the unfused vertebrae in the vertebral column
 because the amount of body weight supported by the vertebrae increases toward the
inferior end of the backbone.
Appendicular Skeleton

mmulipilwa
The pectoral girdle

and the upper limb

The pectoral girdle

 Is also known as the shoulder girdle

 It attach the upper limb to the trunk
 It consist of the clavicle, scapula
Clavicles

 Also known as collar bones, are slender, S-shaped

bones that extend horizontally.
 Has cone shaped sternal end and flattened acromial end.
 The medial 2/3 of the clavicle is convex anteriorly, the
lateral third is concave anteriorly.
 Has the smooth superior part and grooved/ridged
inferior surface.
Clavicles

Features on the clavicle:-

 Trapezoid line
 Conoid tubercle
Scapula

 Also known as shoulder blades, are thin triangular

flat bones locsted on the dorsal surface of the rib
cage.
Features on the scapula:-
 Glenoid cavity
 Coracoid process
 Suprascapular notch
 Spine of the scapula
 Acromion
 Infraspinous fossa
 Supraspinous fossa
 Subscapular fossa
The upper Limb

 There are thirty bones in the upper limb

 They are grouped into the bones of the arm,
forearm and the hand.
The Arm

 Also known as the brachium, between the shoulder and the elbow joint.
 The humerus is the only bone of the arm, it is the largest and longest bone in the upper
limb.
 The proximal end of the humerus has the following features:-head , neck (anatomical and
surgical), greater and lesser tubercles, intertubercular line, sulcus (bicipital groove), the
deltoid tubercle and the radial groove
The Arm

The distal end of the humerus has the

following features:-
 Trochlea
 Capitulum
 Medial and lateral epicondyles
 Medial and lateral supracondylar ridges
 Olecranon fossa
 Coronoid fossa
 Radial fossa
The forearm

 Also known as ante brachium, made up

of the ulna and the radius.
 The ulna and radius articulate with the
humerus proximally and the carpal
bones distally.
 In anatomical position, the radius is
lateral while the ulna lies medially.
 The ulna is slightly longer than the
radius.
Ulna

 Is slightly longer than the radius

It has the following structures
 Olecranon process
 Coronoid process
 Trochlea notch
 Radial notch
 Styloid process
Radius

 Is thin at its proximal end and wider at

its distal end.
 It is the lateral bone of the forearm
Note the following features on the radius
 Radial tuberosity
 Ulnar notch
 Head of the radius
 Neck of the radius
The Hand

 The hand includes the bones of the

carpus or wrist, metacarpus (palm) and
phalanges (fingers).
Carpus

 Contains eight bones called carpals.

 They are arranged in two irregular rows
each with four bones.
 Proximal row contains:- scaphoid,
lunate, triquetrum, pisiform
(lateromedially)
 Distal row is contains:- trapezium,
trapezoid, capitate and hamate
(lateromedially)
Metacarpus

 There are five

metacarpals
 They are numbered 1-
5 from the thumb to
little finger.
Phalanges

 Digits are numbered 1 to 5 from the

thumb to the little finger
 The thumb is also called the pollex
 Except the pollex, each finger has three
phalanges, proximal, middle and distal
phalanges.
 The thumb has no middle phalanx.
Skeleton of the pelvic girdle
…….and the lower Limb…..
The Pelvic girdle

 Also known as the hip girdle, it attaches the

lower limb to the spine.
 Consist of he paired hip bones called coxal
or os coxae
 The pelvic girdle is made up of the sacrum
and the hip bones
 The hip bone is made up of three bones that
unite , these are :- the pubis, ischium and
ilium.
 The three bones unite in adults at the
acetabulum.
 Obturator foramen
Ilium

 Makes the superior part of the hip bone.

Consists of the following:-
 Body
 Ala (wing like)
 Iliac crest
 Tubercle of the iliac crest
 Anterior superior iliac spine
 Posterior superior iliac spines
 Anterior and posterior inferior iliac spines
 Greater sciatic notch
 Iliac fossa
 Auricular surface
 Arcuate line
Ischium

 Forms the posterior inferior surface of

the hip bone.
 Note the following structures:-
 Body
 Ramus
 Ischial spines
 Lesser sciatic notch
 Ischial tuberosity
Pubis

 Also known as pubic bone, forms

anterior region of the hip bone.
 Note the following structures on the
pubic bone.
 Superior and inferior rami
 Body of the pubis
 Pubic crest
 Pubic tubercle
Divisions of the Pelvis
Comparing the Male and Female Pelvis

Female pelvis:
 Smother
 Smoother
 Lighter
 Less prominent muscle
and ligament
attachments
Pelvis modifications for childbearing

 Enlarged pelvic outlet

 Broad pubic angle (> 100°)
 Less curvature of sacrum and coccyx
 Wide, circular pelvic inlet
 Broad, low pelvis
 Ilia project laterally, not upwards
Lower Limb
Thigh, leg and foot
The Thigh

 The femur is the single bone of the thigh.

 It is the largest, longest and strongest bone in the body
Note the following structures n the femur:-
 The head of the femur with its fovea capitis
 Neck of the femur
 Greater and lesser trochanters
 Intertrochanteric line and intertrochanteric crest
 Gluteal tuberosity
 Linea aspera
 Lateral and medial condyles
 Medial and lateral epicondyles
The thigh

 Adductor tubercle
 Patella surface
 Intercondylar fossa
 Lateral and medial
supracondylar line
The Leg

 Mad up of two parallel

bones called the tibia
and fibula.
 Interosseous
membrane
Tibia

 Medial bone of the leg

Note the following features
 Medial and lateral condyles
 Intercondylar eminence
 Tibial tuberosity
 Medial malleolus
 Fibular notch
Fibula

 The lateral bone of the leg

Note the following structures on the fibula.
 Head of fibula
 Lateral malleolus
The foot

 Includes the bone of the tarsus, metatarsus and phalanges

Tarsus

 Consists of seven individual bones

 These include :- the talus, calcaneus,
cuboid, navicular, medial, intermediate
and lateral cuneiform.
Metatarsus

 The bones of metatarsus are five

metatarsals
 They are numbered to 5 from the medial
side.
Phalanges

 There are 14 phalanges

 There are three phalanges in each toe
(proximal, middle and distal) phalanges
except the big toe ( hallux) which
consists of only two.