ANATOMY

BONES
CLAVICLES
• It is also known as collar bone
• It is s-shaped and supports the shoulder so the arm can swing
freely from the trunk.
• It is curved and has two parts: 1) lateral (the side away from the
median plane)
2) medial (the side near the median
plane of the body)
• It was pierced by middle supraclavicular nerve
Note:
• The lateral end of the clavicle is flat and the medial end is large
and quadrangular and the shaft is slightly curved and the medial
portion covers 2/3 and the lateral part covers 1/3.
• The median 2/3 is anteriorly convex and lateral 1/3 is anteriorly
concave.
• The superior portion is smooth and the inferior portions has
grooves
Features
• The lateral shaft is flattened from downwards and has two
borders:
1) anterior border which is concave forward
2) posterior border is convex backward
• The lateral part has two surfaces:
 1) superior surface
2) inferior surface
• The interior surface has aconite tubercle and trapezoid rich
Functions:
• It acts as a strut for holding the upper limb far from the trunk so
that it can move freely. It also allows the upper limb for various
prehensile acts.
• It transmits the force and weight from the upper limb to the axial
skeleton (sternum)
Peculiarities
• It is the only long bone in the body which lies horizontally
• It has no medullary cavity and also it is subcutaneous
• It is first bone to start ossifying (I.e., between the fifth and sixth
week of intrauterine life)
• It is also the only long bone which ossifies by two primary centers
Ends
• It contains 3 parts: 1) lateral end (acromial)
2) medial end (sternal)
• Lateral end: Flattened above downwards and articulates with
medial margin of the acromion process.
• Medial end: Enlarged and quadrilateral. It articulates with the
clavicular notch of the manubrium sterni.