The Shoulder Girdle and Shoulder Joints

Abstract

The shoulder complex links the axial skeleton with the upper limb. In man, the upper limb has been liberated from its original weightbearing function and has undergone adaptive changes allowing prehension. The evolution has involved considerable modification in order to allow a greater range of movement and precision at the shoulder. Functional amelioration has been achieved through simultaneous development of the scapulohumeral (or glenohumeral) joint and the scapulothoracic joint, combining to produce the total mobility which the shoulder complex affords. The glenohumeral joint is a single articulation but the scapulothoracic “ joint” comprises a number of elements : the sternoclavicular joint, the acromioclavicular joint, the coracoclavicular ligament, various ligaments relating to the scapula itself, the articulation between the blade of the scapula and the chest wall, as well as several serous bursae.