Upper Limb Anatomy Hub
Comprehensive, exam-focused anatomy of the upper limb from shoulder to hand.
Upper Limb Anatomy Hub
Bones
Osteology of the pectoral girdle, arm, forearm, and hand.
Clavicle Anatomy – Parts, Muscle Attachments & Fractures
Explore the clavicle's function, muscle attachments, and ossification. Understand common fractures and the clinical anatomy of this essential upper limb bone.
Scapula Anatomy – Landmarks, Borders & Muscle Attachments
A detailed guide to the scapula, covering its bony landmarks, fossae, and processes. Learn the origins and insertions of key shoulder and back muscles.
Humerus Anatomy – Proximal, Shaft & Distal Features
Discover the anatomy of the humerus, the long bone of the upper arm. Explore its head, tubercles, shaft, and condyles, including muscle attachments and joints.
Radius Anatomy – Landmarks, Joints & Forearm Movements
Learn the anatomy of the radius, the lateral bone of the forearm. Understand its head, neck, tuberosity, and styloid process for supination and pronation.
Ulna Anatomy – Olecranon, Trochlear Notch & Elbow Joint
Explore the ulna, the stabilizing medial bone of the forearm. Learn about the olecranon, trochlear notch, and its role in elbow and wrist joint function.
Joints
Joint anatomy, stability, movements, and functional correlations.
Shoulder Joint Anatomy – Ligaments, Movements & Dislocation
A detailed look at the shoulder joint. Learn about its high mobility, the rotator cuff, ligaments, and clinical issues like dislocation and impingement.
Acromioclavicular Joint Anatomy – Ligaments & Stability
A detailed overview of the acromioclavicular (AC) joint, a plane synovial joint. Learn about its key stabilizing ligaments and its role in shoulder movement.
Sternoclavicular Joint Anatomy – Ligaments & Dislocation
An overview of the sternoclavicular joint, the saddle-type synovial joint connecting the clavicle to the sternum, including its ligaments and clinical stability.
Elbow Joint Anatomy – Ligaments, Movements & Clinicals
A detailed overview of the elbow joint, covering its articulations, collateral ligaments, carrying angle, and common clinical conditions like 'tennis elbow'.
Proximal Radioulnar Joint – Anatomy & Movement
An overview of the proximal radio-ulnar joint, a pivot-type synovial joint essential for forearm supination and pronation, stabilized by the annular ligament.
Muscles
Layered muscular anatomy of the upper limb with actions and innervation.
Pectoral Muscles Anatomy – Pectoralis Major & Minor
Explore the anatomy of the pectoral region, including the pectoralis major and minor muscles. Understand their origins, insertions, actions, and nerve supply.
Extrinsic Shoulder Muscles – Trapezius, Latissimus & More
Learn the muscles connecting the upper limb to the axial skeleton, such as the trapezius and latissimus dorsi, and their role in scapular and humeral movement.
Intrinsic Shoulder Muscles – Anatomy & Function
A guide to the six short intrinsic shoulder muscles, including the deltoid and teres major, that act on the glenohumeral joint for arm movement and stability.
Rotator Cuff Anatomy – SITS Muscles & Clinical Notes
An overview of the SITS muscles (Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres Minor, Subscapularis) and their critical role in shoulder joint movement and stability.
Anterior Arm Muscles – Biceps, Brachialis & Coracobrachialis
An overview of the anterior compartment arm muscles: biceps brachii, brachialis, and coracobrachialis. Learn their actions in elbow flexion and supination.
Nerves
Brachial plexus and terminal nerve anatomy with clinical relevance.
Brachial Plexus Anatomy – Roots, Trunks, Cords & Branches
Master the brachial plexus with our guide on its roots, trunks, divisions, and cords. Learn key branches and clinical conditions like Erb's and Klumpke's palsy.
Cutaneous Innervation of Upper Limb – Nerves & Dermatomes
Explore the sensory nerve supply to the skin of the upper limb. This guide covers the major cutaneous nerves and the C3-T2 dermatome patterns for clinical exams.
Axillary Nerve Anatomy – Course, Branches & Injury
A guide to the axillary nerve's origin, course through the quadrangular space, and branches. Understand clinical signs of injury like deltoid paralysis.
Musculocutaneous Nerve – Course, Branches & Injury
A guide to the musculocutaneous nerve, covering its origin, course through the coracobrachialis, and its motor and cutaneous branches in the anterior arm.
Major Nerves of the Arm – Median, Ulnar & Radial Paths
An overview of the courses and relations of the median, ulnar, and radial nerves as they travel through the arm from the axilla to the cubital fossa.
Arteries
Arterial supply of the upper limb and hand.
Brachial Artery Anatomy – Course, Branches & Clinical Use
Explore the brachial artery, the main arterial supply to the arm. Learn its course, relations, branches, and its clinical importance for blood pressure and trauma.
Profunda Brachii Artery – Course, Branches & Elbow Supply
An overview of the profunda brachii, the largest branch of the brachial artery. Learn its course in the radial groove and its collateral branches around the elbow.
Elbow Arterial Anastomosis – Collateral Circulation Explained
An overview of the rich collateral circulation around the elbow, involving branches from the brachial, radial, and ulnar arteries, vital for maintaining blood flow.
Radial Artery Anatomy – Course, Branches & Pulse
An overview of the radial artery, from its origin in the cubital fossa to the wrist. Learn its relations, branches, and the clinical importance of the radial pulse.
Anterior Interosseous Artery – Course & Distribution
A guide to the anterior interosseous artery, a deep vessel of the forearm, covering its course on the interosseous membrane and its supply to deep structures.
Veins
Superficial and deep venous drainage patterns.
Lymphatics
Lymphatic drainage pathways of the upper limb.
Fascia
Fascial compartments, retinacula, and synovial sheaths.
Pectoral Fascia Anatomy – Clavipectoral & Pectoral Fascia
An overview of the fascial layers of the pectoral region. Learn about the clavipectoral fascia, its structures, and its role in supporting the axillary contents.
Arm Compartments – Anterior & Posterior Anatomy
An overview of the anterior and posterior fascial compartments of the arm, detailing the muscles, nerves, and vessels contained within each section of the brachium.
Forearm Compartments – Flexor & Extensor Anatomy
An overview of the anterior (flexor) and posterior (extensor) fascial compartments of the forearm, including their general functions and nerve supplies.
Interosseous Membrane – Forearm Anatomy & Function
An overview of the fibrous sheet connecting the radius and ulna, detailing its structure, fiber direction, and role in force transmission and muscle attachment.
Extensor Retinaculum – Wrist Compartments Explained
An overview of the extensor retinaculum, the fibrous band on the posterior wrist, detailing its six compartments that house the extensor tendons.
Regions & Spaces
Clinically important spaces and surface anatomy.
Axilla Anatomy – Boundaries, Contents & Lymph Nodes
A guide to the axilla, the pyramidal space of the armpit. Learn its boundaries, contents including the brachial plexus, and the vital role of axillary lymph nodes.
Cubital Fossa Anatomy – Boundaries, Contents & Mnemonics
A guide to the cubital fossa, the triangular space anterior to the elbow. Learn its boundaries, contents (MBBS mnemonic), and clinical relevance for venipuncture.
Subscapular Spaces – Quadrangular & Triangular Anatomy
A guide to the quadrangular and triangular spaces in the posterior scapular region. Learn their boundaries and the vital neurovascular structures passing through.
Anterior Wrist Anatomy – Tendons, Nerves & Arteries
An overview of the key anatomical structures at the front of the wrist, arranged from lateral to medial, highlighting their clinical significance in wrist injuries.
Palmar Hand Anatomy – Surface Landmarks & Creases
An overview of the surface anatomy of the palm, including key bony landmarks like the scaphoid tubercle, and the clinical significance of palmar flexion creases.
Other Topics
Functional anatomy and integrated movements.
Supination & Pronation – Forearm Rotation Explained
An overview of the rotatory movements of the forearm, detailing the axis of rotation, the mechanism involving the radio-ulnar joints, and the key muscles involved.
Hand Arches – Transverse & Longitudinal Explained
An overview of the hand's transverse and longitudinal arches, which provide a hollow palm for a secure grip, and the muscles that maintain their structure.
Hand Movements – Grip Types, Thumb Actions & Finger Movements
An overview of hand functions, including power and precision grips, and the specific movements of the thumb (opposition) and fingers (flexion, extension, abduction).
Explore Related Anatomy Hubs
Skeletal System Hub
Bones, joints, osteology, and biomechanics forming the structural framework of the body.
Muscular System Hub
Muscle groups, attachments, innervation, and functional anatomy.
Nervous System Hub
Organization of the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems.