Human upper limb

1. Joints of the upper
limbs

2. Joints of the upper limb are divided into 2 groups:
girdle joints and joints of the movable part.
Sternoclavicular joint is a synovial articulation
between the sternal end of the clavicle and clavicular
notch of the sternal manubrium. It is saddle,
multiaxial joint, which contains additional element –
articular disc.
 Ligaments:
 Sternoclavicular anterior and posterior ligg.(capsular)
 Interclavicular lig.(capsular)
 Costoclavicular lig. (extracapsular)
Joints of the upper limb

4. Acromioclavicular Joint is a synovial articulation
between the acromial end of the clavicle and
acromion of the scapula. It is gliding, multiaxial
joint.
Ligaments:
Acromioclavicular lig. (capsular)
Coracoclavicular lig.(exstracapsular), which is
divided into 2 parts: trapezoid lig. and conoid
lig, attached to the clavicle.

6. Acromioclavicular joint

7. SHOULDER - GLENOHUMERAL JOINT
 The glenohumeral joint is a synovial articulation between the head
of the humerus and glenoid cavity of the scapula. It is ball and
socket, multiaxial joint.
 Additional elements: glenoid labrum, which surrounds glenoid
fossa. Four bursae are associated with the shoulder joint. They are
the subscapular bursa, subdeltoid bursa, subacromial bursa and
subcoracoid bursa. Ligaments: Coracohumeral lig.,
glenohumeral superior, middle and inferior ligg.(capsular)
 Tendon of the long head of the biceps brachii muscle passes
through the joint cavity.
 Glenohumeral dislocations - The glenohumeral joint is the most mobile but least stable
joint of the body, and dislocations are frequent. Rotator cuff muscles provide the greatest
stability, supporting the joint anteriorly, posteriorly, and superiorly, but inferior support is
lacking.
 The majority of dislocations (90%) occur inferiorly, although most are labeled “anterior”
dislocations based on the position of the displaced humeral head relative to the glenoid.
These injuries can damage the axillary nerve and lead to a flattened shoulder profile.

9. •Bursa is a sac-like structure presents in some synovial joints.
- they are located between: - muscle and bone, tendon and bone, ligament
and bone.
• Function of bursa: - to reduce the mechanical friction between
two structures relative to each other ex:. between bone
and extracapsular
ligament.
Subacromial bursa (shoulder joint)

12. Elbow Joint( Hinge, complex joint)
It is made up of three separate synovial joints contained within a single
joint capsule: 1. Humeroulnar joint (Hinge, trochlea and trochlear
notch) 2. Humeroradial (ball-and socket, capitulum and head of the
radius) 3. Radio-ulnar proximal joint (Pivot, radial )
Ligaments: Anular radial lig., collateral ulnar and collateral radial
lig.

13. Elbow Joint – Hinge joint
•Ulnar (medial) collateral ligament
•Radial (lateral) collateral ligament
• Radial anular lidament

15.  Radiocarpal joint is is a synovial articulation between the distal
end of the radius and the carpal bones (scapoid, lunate,
triquetrum). It is ellipsoid biaxial joint.
 Additional elements: articular disc, which seperates the ulna
from the joint.
 Ligaments: collateral carpal ulnar, collateral carpal radial,
radiocarpal dorsal and radiocarpal palmar ligg., ulnocarpal
palmar lig.
 Intercarpal joints are: mediocarpal joints, intecarpal joints,
carpometacarpal joints.
 Metacarpophalangeal joints(ball-and-socket, except I joint, which
is hinge), interphalangeal proximal and distal joints.