Elbow Joint Flashcards
What type of joint is the elbow joint?
Hinge-type synovial joint
What bones are articulating in the elbow joint?
Distal humerus and proximal radius and ulna
What movements are done t the elbow joint?
Flexion
Extension
What movements can happen at the proximal radioulnar joint?
Pronation
Supination
What are the 2 parts of the condyles on the anterior side of the distal humerus?
Capitulum
Trochlea
Which side of the condyle on the anterior distal humerus is the capitulum?
Lateral side
What does the capitulum articulate with?
Radius
Which side of the condyle on the anterior distal humerus is the trochlea?
Medial side
What does the trochlea articulate with?
Ulna
What is the fossa superior to the capitulum?
Radial fossa
What is the fossa superior to the trochlea called?
Coranoid fossa
What articulates with the Coranoid fossa above the trochlea of the humerus?
Coranoid process of the ulnar
What is the large fossa on the posterior aspect of the distal humerus called and what articulates here?
Olecranon fossa
Olecranon of ulnar (limits movement)
What is the bony part of the elbow which you can feel called?
What bone is this on?
Olecranon
Ulna
What is the smooth articular surface on the lateral aspect of the proximal ulna called?
Radial notch
What is the large smooth curved articular surface on the proximal ulna called?
Trochlear notch
What does the round head of the radius articulate with?
Capitulum of humerus
What are the 3 ligaments of the elbow joint?
Radial collateral ligament
Ulnar collateral ligament
Annular ligament
Where does the radial collateral ligament run from and to?
Lateral epicondyle of humerus to radius
Where does the ulnar collateral ligament run from and to?
Medial epicondyle to ulnar
Where is the Annular ligament?
Around the head of the radius
What structure do the 3 ligaments of the elbow joint blend with to provide further strength and stability?
The joint capsule
What can happen if the annular ligament is underdeveloped in kids?
Radius may slip out (“Pulled elbow”)
What position is the elbow joint most stable in?
When fully flexed or full extended
What 3 features contribute to the the stability of the elbow joint?
Ligaments
Bony articulations
Muscles
What articulation prevents hyper extension of the elbow?
Olecranon of ulnar articulates with Olecranon fossa of radius
What articulation prevents hyper Flexion of the elbow?
Coranoid process of anterior ulnar articulates with Coranoid fossa
What muscle adds stability to the elbow?
Anconeus
Sits around elbow joint
What are the 2 main bursae of the elbow joint?
Subtendinous bursa
Subcutaneous/Olecranon bursa
Where is the subtendinous bursa of the elbow located?
Between the Triceps tendon and Olecranon (ulnar)
What is the function of the subtendinous bursa?
Reduce friction between the triceps tendon and Olecranon during Flexion and extension
Where is the subcutaneous/Olecranon bursa located?
Superficial to the Olecranon of ulnar in the subcutaneous tissue
What is the function of the subcutaneous/Olecranon bursa?
Helps when leaning on the elbow
What are the 3 main flexors of the elbow?
Biceps brachii (anterior arm)
Brachialis (anterior arm)
Brachioradialis (posterior forearm)
BBB
What are the origins of the 2 heads of biceps brachii?
Long head = supraglenoid tubercle (tendon goes through intertubercular groove)
Short head = Coracoid process
What are the 2 insertions of biceps brachii?
Come to 1 tendon which inserts into Bicipital aponeurosis and also the radial tuberosity
What anterior arm muscle is the most superficial?
Biceps brachii
What is the origin of Brachialis?
Anterior aspect of humerus
Where does Brachialis inert?
Ulnar tuberosity
What innervates biceps brachii and Brachialis (anterior compartment muscles)?
Musculocutaneous nerve
Where is Brachialis with respect to biceps brachii?
Beneath biceps brachii
What compartment is the Brachioradialis from in the arm?
Posterior compartment
What is the origin of Brachioradialis?
Supraepicondyar ridge of humerus
What is the insertion of Brachioradialis?
Distal end of radius just proximal to the radial styloid process
What is the function of Brachioradialis?
Flexion (mid-pronated position aka the beer raising muscle)
What is the innervation of Brachioradialis?
Radial nerve
What muscles do elbow extension?
Triceps brachii
What are the names of the 3 heads of the triceps brachii?
Long head
Medial head
Lateral head
Which head of the triceps brachii is the most medial?
Long head of triceps
What is the origin of the long head of triceps?
Infraglenoid tubercle of the Scapula
What is the origin of the Medial head of triceps?
Shaft of humerus below radial groove
What is the origin of the Lateral head of triceps?
Shaft of humerus above radial groove
Where do the 3 heads of triceps brachii all insert?
Olecranon
What is the extra functon of the long head of triceps?
Weak extensor of the arm (crosses shoulder joint)
What compartment of the arm are the triceps brachii located in?
Posterior arm compartment
What is the innervation of the triceps brachii?
Radial nerve
At what joint does pronation and supination occur?
Proximal radio-ulnar joint
Which bone rotates around which at the proximal radio-ulnar joint to cause pronation and supination?
Radius rotates around ulnar
Ulnar is fixed in place
What are the majority of the forearm muscles innervated by?
Median nerve
What are the 2 exceptions to the rule of the median nerve innervating the majority of the forearm muscles?
What are these muscles innervations?
Flexor carpi ulnaris
Ulnar half of Flexor Digitorum Profundus
What are the 4 superficial anterior compartment muscles of the forearm?
Pronator teres
Flexor carpi radialis
Palmaris longus
Flexor carpi ulnaris
Where do all of the superficial anterior forearm muscles originate from?
Medial epicondyle
What is the intermediate anterior compartment muscle of the forearm?
Flexor digitorum superficialis
What is the origin for flexor digitorum superficialis?
Medial epicondyle
What is the insertion of flexor digitorum superficialis?
Middle phalanges of 4 fingers
What are the 3 deep compartment muscles of the anterior forearm?
Flexor digitorum profundus
Flexor pollicis longus
Pronator Quadratus
What is the superior border of the cubital fossa?
Imaginary line between lateral and medial epicondyle so
What is the medial border of the cubital fossa?
Pronator teres
What is the lateral border of the cubital fossa?
Brachioradialis
What is the contents of the cubital fossa?
biceps Tendon
brachial Artery
median Nerve
Sometimes Radial nerve
How can you get a peripheral pulse from the cubital fossa?
Get patient to flex elbow so you can find the biceps tendon
Then go medially to palpate the brachial artery
How does the radial nerve travel around the elbow area?
Travels anteriorly to lateral epicondyle, once it passes this it returns to the posterior forearm supplying it
How does the ulnar nerve run around the elbow area?
Passes posterior to medial epicondyle and goes into anterior forearm
What is the arterial vasculature starting from the most proximal point of the upper limb to the distal forearm?
Subclavian artery —> Axillary artery —> Brachial artery (2 branches = ulnar artery and radial artery)
At what point does the subclavian artery become the Axillary artery?
Once subclavian artery has passed 1st rib = Axillary artery
When does the Axillary artery become the brachial artery?
Once Axillary artery passes the inferior border of teres major
When does the brachial artery branch into the radial artery and ulnar artery?
Once it passes through the cubital fossa
What arteries branch from the Axillary artery supplying the proximal humerus/head?
Anterior and posterior circumflex humeral arteries
What does the profunda brachii artery run through?
Radial groove
What is the vein on the lateral/radial side of the upper limb?
Cephalic vein
How can you remember the cephalic vein is on the radial side?
Cephalic looks like ceiling
When you do a thumbs up this vein faces the ceiling
What is the vein on the proximal half of the ulnar side of the arm?
Axillary vein
What is the vein on the distal half of the ulnar side of the arm?
Basilic vein
How can you remember the Basilic vein is on the medial/ulnar side?
When you do a thumbs up this vein is on the base of the upper limb
B is for base
