JOINTS OF THE UPPER LIMB

Course Lecturer: OVIOSUN, AUGUSTINE

Department of Anatomy
Faculty of Basic Medical Science
Edo university, Iyamho.

19th November, 2019

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 OUTLINE

1. Introduction
2. Sternoclavicular joint
3. Acromoclavicular joint
4. Shoulder joint(glenohumeral joint)
5. Elbow joint
6. Radioulnar joint
7. Wrist joint( radiocarpal joint)

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 LEARNING OUTCOMES

• At the end of this lecture, each student should be able to-

1. List and explain various types of joints

2. Describe the anatomical features of upper limb joint , stating the type of
joints, articulating structure of upper limb joints and ligaments.

3. State the various movements that occur at various joint and the muscles
involve

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 WHAT IS A JOINT?
The junction where two bones
meet is a joint, also known as a bony
articulation.

• With more than 200 bones in the

human body, there are several
different types of joints that give
the body both mobility and
stability.

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• Joints can be classified based on their structure and functions:

• Structurally classification of joints deals on how the joint are attached

together, the type of connective tissue involve.

• Functional classification deals with the extent of movement of bones that

form the joint (moveable, slightly moveable & immoveable)

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 STRUCTURALLY TYPE OF JOINTS INCLUDE: (fibrous,Cartiliginous, Synovial
joint)

• Fibrous joints(fixed): bones held together by dense connective tissue. It contains no

synovial fluid. Example is the Cranial bone of the skull.

• Cartilaginous joint (slightly moveable/immoveable): this include joint held together by

cartilage usually hyaline cartilage, example of cartilaginous joints are pubic symphysis, joint
of the sternal angle( between sternum and manubrium)

• Synovial joints : the joint involves synovial cavity containing fluid secreted by synovial
membrane. Bones forming this joint are surrounded by articular capsule. Synovial joint
include all limb joints

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• The six types of synovial joints are pivot, hinge, condyloid, saddle, plane, and ball-and
socket-joint
• Ball and socket joint- The largest joint of the body, found in the shoulder and hip joint.
The head of the humerus /femur is rounded just like a half ball, the ball fits into a cup-
liked socket.

• Hinge joint- much like hinges of doors, this joint permits back and front movement, but
not side to side or lateral movement. E.g. Knee joint, elbow .

• Pivot joint are specially suited to allow for rotating movements . Eg. Articulation
between the atlas and axis bone of the neck, which enable the head to turn side by
side.

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Saddle joint : both of the articulating surfaces for the bones have a saddle shape, which is
concave in one direction and convex in the other. The carpometacarpal joint at the base of the
thumb is the only saddle joint in the body.

Condyloid joint:(ellipsoid joint), the shallow depression at the end of one bone articulates with
a rounded structure from an adjacent bone or bones. The knuckle (metacarpophalangeal)
joints and radiocarpal joint of the wrist.

• Plane joint: (gliding joint), the articulating surfaces of the bones are flat or slightly curved
and of approximately the same size, which allows the bones to slide against each other. plane
joints are found between the carpal bones (intercarpal joints) of the wrist or tarsal bones
(intertarsal joints) of the foot, between the clavicle and acromion of the scapula
(acromioclavicular joint)
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 JOINTS OF UPPER LIMB
1. Sternoclavicular joint
2. Acromoclavicular joint
3. Shoulder Joint (Glenohumeral joint)
4. Elbow joint
5. Proximal radioulnar joint
6. Distal radioulnar joint
7. Wrist joint( Radiocarpal joint)
8. Intercarpal joint
9. Carpometacarpal and intermetacarpal joints
10. Metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joint

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 STERNOCLAVICULAR JOINT
• The sternoclavicular joint is a synovial joint
between the clavicle and the manubrium of
the sternum.

• It is the only attachment of the upper limb to

the axial skeleton.

• The sternoclavicular joint consists of the sternal

end of the clavicle, the manubrium of the
sternum, and part of the 1st costal cartilage

• Despite its strength, it is a very mobile joint and

can function more like a ball-and-socket type
joint. The sternoclavicular joint consists of the
sternal end of the clavicle, the
manubrium of the sternum, and part of
st
 The Acromioclavicular joint
• The acromioclavicular joint is a
plane synovial joint.

• It is located where the lateral end of the

clavicle articulates with the acromion of
the scapula.

• The acromioclavicular joint consists of

an articulation between the lateral end
of the clavicle and the acromion of the
scapula
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 Ligaments
• There are three main ligaments that
strengthen the acromioclavicular joint.
They can be divided into intrinsic and
extrinsic ligaments:
• Intrinsic:
• Acromioclavicular ligament –.
• Extrinsic:
• Conoid ligament –
• Trapezoid ligament

• Collectively, the conoid and trapezoid

ligaments are known as the coracoclavicular
ligament. It is a very strong structure,
effectively suspending the weight of the upper
limb from the clavicle.
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 The Glenohumeral (shoulder) joint
• The glenohumeral (shoulder) joint is a ball-and-
socket type of synovial joint that permits a wide
range of movement. However, its mobility makes
the joint relatively unstable.

• It is one of the most mobile joints in the body.

• The shoulder joint is formed by the articulation of

the head of the humerus with the glenoid
cavity (or fossa) of the scapula.

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 Synovial Bursae
A bursa is a synovial fluid filled sac,
which acts as a cushion between
tendons and other joint structures.

• To reduce friction in the shoulder

joint, several synovial bursae are
present

• Subacromial,
Subscapular,Subdeltoid bursa

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 Ligaments of the Glenohumeral joint

• In the shoulder joint, the ligaments play a

key role in stabilizing the bony structures.

1. Glenohumeral ligaments
2. Coracohumeral ligament
3. Transverse humeral ligament

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 MOVEMENTS OF SHOULDER JOINT
• The shoulder joint has more freedom of
movement than any other joint in the body.

• This freedom results from the large size of

the humeral head compared with the small
size of the glenoid cavity.

Movement that occur in the shoulder joint

include- flexion–extension, abduction–
adduction, rotation (medial and lateral) of the
humerus, and circumduction

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 Mobility and Stability

• Factors that contribute to mobility:

• Type of joint
• Bony surfaces
• Joint capsule.
• Rotator cuff muscles
• Glenoid labrum
• Ligaments
• Biceps tendon

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 ELBOW JOINT
• Is a hinge type of synovial joint, located 2-3
cm inferior to the epicondyles of the
humerus.

• The elbow joint connects the upper arm to

the forearm.

• It consists of two separate articulations:

1. Trochlear notch of the ulna and the trochlea
of the humerus
2. Head of the radius and the capitulum of the
humerus
• Therefore, there are humero-ulnar and
humeroradial articulation
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 Ligaments of Elbow joint

• The radial collateral ligament

• The ulnar collateral ligament

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 Radioulnar joint
• The radioulnar joints are two locations
in which the radius and ulna articulate
in the forearm.

• Both of these joints are classified as

pivot joints, responsible for pronation
and supination of the forearm

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 Proximal and Distal Radioulnar Joint

is an articulation between the head of the radius and

the radial notch of the ulna.

• The radial head is held in place by the annular radial

ligament, the annular radial ligament is lined with a
synovial membrane, reducing friction during
movement.

• This distal radioulnar joint is located just proximally

to the wrist joint. It is an articulation between the
ulnar notch of the radius and the ulnar head.

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 MOVEMENT AT RAIDOULNAR JOINT
Supination and pronation movement occur at
both the proximal and distal radioulnar joint.

• Pronation:
• Supination:

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 Wrist Joint (RADIOCARPAL JOINT)
• Is a condyloid type of synonvial joint

• Articulating surfaces
• The wrist joint is formed by:
• Distally – the proximal row of the carpal
bones (except the pisiform).

• Proximally – the distal end of the radius,

and the articular disk

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 LIGAMENTS OF WRIST JOINT

• Palmar radiocarpal
• Dorsal radiocarpal
• Ulnar collateral
• Radial collateral

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1. Intercarpal joint
2. Carpometacarpal
3. Intermetacarpal
4. Metacarpophalangeal
5. interphalangeal joint

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 CLINICAL CORRELATES
• DISLOCATION OF THE STERNOCLAVICULAR JOINT

• ACROMIOCLAVICULAR JOINT DISLOCATION (ALSO KNOWN AS A

SEPARATED SHOULDER)

• DISLOCATION OF SHOULDER JOINT

• INJURIES TO THE WRIST JOINT: FRACTURE OF THE SCAPHOID, COLLES’

FRACTURE
• Axillary nerve injury

• Dislocation of the shoulder joint can

cause axillary never injury, because of
its close relation to the inferior part of
the joint capsule.

• The displacement of the head of

humerus damages the axillary nerve,
which cause paralysis of the deltoid
muscle
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• SUMMARY /CONCLUSION

• QUESTIONS

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