Anatomy & Physiology I
APPENDICULAR SKELETON:SELECTED BONES AND MARKINGS
Prof. Atsma © 2008
Introduction: Following are tables which describe selected bones and their most important markings.
Find and be able to identify these bones/markings on the bones provided in your laboratory or the ALC.
Shoulder and Arm
1. CLAVICLE - "S" curved "collar bone"
2. Scapula – “shoulder blade bone”
Spine of scapula (aka spinous process)
- long raised ridge running from side to
side on upper, posterior portion of the
bone
Acromion process - lateral flattened
extension of the spinous process
Coracoid process - thin, pointed lateral
projection
Glenoid cavity (fossa) - (very) shallow
depression for the joint made with the
humerus
3. Humerus – upper arm bone
Head - rounded, medial part of the proximal epiphysis
Anatomical neck - (very) shallow groove directly below the
rounded head
Surgical neck - the start of the diaphysis where proximal
fractures are more likely to occur
Greater and lesser tubercles - small bumps facing anterior;
the greater tubercle is superior to the lesser (not necessarily
significantly larger)
Deltoid tuberosity - raised area about 1/3 of the way down the
lateral humerus
Coronoid fossa - shallow anterior depression for the coronoid
process of the ulna
Trochlea - half rounded/half flattened and sharp distal
projection; may be thought of as resembling a pizza cutter or
pulley.
Capitulum - rounded distal projection
Olecranon fossa - deeper posterior depression for
the olecranon process of the ulna
Medial and lateral epicondyles - somewhat pointed lateral
projections above the capitulum and trochlea
4. ULNA - the medial bone of the forearm; runs from elbow
toward pinky
Olecranon process - the large bony, posterior/superior
projection of the elbow
Trochlear notch - (formerly studied as part of the greater
semilunar notch) "C-shaped" notch on the anterior surfaces of
the two previous processes
Coronoid process - the more pointed, slender anterior
projection of the proximal ulna; think of the points of a
crown/'coronation'
Radial notch (aka Radio-ulnar joint) - small smooth area on
the side of the coronoid process where the head of the radius
attaches
Styloid process - somewhat pointed distal projection
5. RADIUS - lateral bone of the forearm that ends at the wrist on the thumb side
Head - round but flat-topped proximal epiphysis
Neck - area under head
Radial tuberosity - bump below the neck
Styloid process - somewhat pointed distal projection
6. CARPALS - small “short” bones in the wrist
7. METACARPALS - small “long” bones found in the "palm" of the hand
8. PHALANGES - finger bones; three per finger, two per thumb
Pelvis and Leg
9. OS COXA (A.K.A. INNOMINATE OR COXAL BONES) –
each forms one side and half of the front of the pelvis;
made of 3 fused bones in adults:
ILIUM - from the upper third of the acetabulum to the top of
the os coxa; makes the upper 2/3 of the coxal bone
ISCHIUM - thicker posterior/inferior portion of the coxal
bone
PUBIS - thinner anterior inferior portion of the coxal bone;
the two pubic bones close the pelvis at the front via the
pubic symphysis
9. OS COXA (continued)
Iliac crest - thickened upper ridge of ilium
Iliac spines - two points facing anterior/two facing
posterior (and somewhat medially); superior spines
are at opposite ends of the crest; the inferior spines
are about one inch below (and again on opposite
sides).
Acetabulum - deep lateral fossa for head of the
femur
Ischial Spine - one fairly large posteriorly pointing
spine
Ischial tuberosity - the thick, main body of the
ischium
Obturator foramen - large inferior hole
Ramus of ischium/ramus of pubis - angled
extensions of the ischium/ pubis that meet to form a
slender bridge at bottom of coxal bone
Auricular surface/Sacroiliac joint (not shown) irregular posterior/medial surface of the ilium where
the sacrum attaches to close the posterior of the
pelvis
10. FEMUR - "thigh bone"
Head - obvious rounded projection
Neck - long thin extension connecting the head to
the shaft
Greater and lesser trochanters - large bumps
between neck and thin portion of the diaphysis; the
greater trochanter (darker curved arrow) is superior
(and usually larger); the lesser trochanter (lighter
arrow) is posterior/medial and usually smaller
Linea aspera - posterior longitudinal ridge along the
diaphysis
Medial and lateral condyles - the two large,
rounded, distal projections; since the head always
points medially, the condyle on the same side as the
head is the medial condyle
11. PATELLA - Sesamoid bones formed in the patellar tendon; anterior bone associated with the knee
joint
12. TIBIA - Large, medial lower leg bone
Medial and lateral condyles - the large
flat-topped bumps at the proximal end; the one
on the same side as the medial malleolus (see
below) must be the medial condyle
Tibial tuberosity - anterior facing bump
between the two condyles
Anterior crest - raised ridge on the anterior
diaphysis; fairly sharp wedge shape should
indicate why hitting your "shin" is so painful
Medial malleolus - somewhat pointed
posterior projection only on the medial side
13. FIBULA - Slender, lateral lower leg bone
Head - shorter, more rounded proximal
epiphysis
Lateral malleolus - somewhat longer, more
pointed distal epiphysis
Note: The medial malleolus of the tibia and the
lateral malleolus of the fibula form the two
bulges commonly referred to as the “ankle
bones.” They form the sides of an arch over
the talus (see below).
14. TARSALS - Small "ankle bones;" two are much larger than the rest
Talus - large, topmost tarsal connected to the tibia and fibula
Calcaneus - large "heel bone"
15. METATARSALS - slender, small, long bones that comprise most of the arch and "balls" of the feet
16. PHALANGES - "toe bones;" like the fingers, each toe has three segments, the "great toe" has two
(like the thumb)