The Human Bones

As lectured by Bien Nillos, MD

Reference: Gray’s Anatomy
“Do what you love. Know your own bone; gnaw
at it, bury it, unearth it, and gnaw it still.” - Henry
David Thoreau 
Introduction to Bones
 There are 206 bones
 Vertebral Bones – 26
 Skull– 22
 Hyoid Bone – 1
 Ribs and Sternum – 25
 Upper Extremities – 64
 Lower Extremities – 62
 Auditory Ossicles – 6
* Patella (kneecap) is included
Four Classes of Bones
 clavicle,
humerus, radius,
ulna, femur,
tibia, fibula,
metacarpals,
metatarsals,
 phalanges
Four Classes of Bones
 Short Bones
 Carpals
 Tarsals
 Patella &
sesamoid bones
Four Classes of Bones
 Flat Bones
 occipital, parietal,
frontal, nasal, lacrimal,
vomer, scapula,
 Pelvic bones
 sternum, ribs,
 according to some,
the patella
Four Classes of Bones
 Irregular Bones
 vertebræ,
 sacrum, coccyx,
 temporal, sphenoid,
ethmoid, zygomatic,
 maxilla, mandible,
 palatine, inferior nasal
concha, and hyoid.  
Bone Markings: Projections vs
Depressions

 Projections or processes – “grow out” of the

bone
 Depressions or cavities – “indent” the bone
Projections
 Condyle – rounded articular
 Head - bony expansion on a
narrow neck
 Facet - smooth, nearly flat
articular surface
 Ramus – Armlike bar of bone
 Crest: Narrow ridge (Line: smaller than a
crest) 
  Epicondyle: Raised area on or above a
condyle 
 Tubercle: Small rounded projection 
 Tuberosity: large rounded or roughened
projection 
 Trochanter: very large, blunt projection 
 Spine: Sharp, pointed projection 
Depressions
 Meatus – canal or tubelike
 Fossa – shallow basin
 Fissure – narrow, slit-like opening
 Sinus – cavity within a bone (air-filled)
 Foramen – round or oval opening
 Sulcus – or groove, or furrow; a shallow
depression
The Skeleton: Axial
vs. Appendicular
 Axial – Vertebral column,
skull, ribs and sternum

 Appendicular – upper
and lower extremities,
shoulder and pelvic
girdles
Vertebral Column
 flexuous and flexible column,
formed of a series of bones
called vertebrae.
 cervical, thoracic, lumbar,
sacral, and coccygeal
 7 in the cervical region, 12 in
the thoracic, 5 in the lumbar,
5 in the sacral, and 4 in the
coccygeal.
What is a vertebra
 an anterior segment, the body, and a
posterior part, the vertebral or neural
arch; these enclose a foramen, the vertebral
foramen
 vertebral arch consists of a pair
of pedicles and a pair of laminæ, and
supports seven processes
(four articular, two transverse, and
one spinous)
The Cervical Vertebra
Atlas and Axis and Vertebra
Prominens
The Thoracic Vertebra
The Lumbar Vertebra
Sacral and
Coccygeal
Vertebra
The Thorax
 osseo-cartilaginous cage, containing and
protecting the principal organs of respiration
and circulation. 
 conical in shape, being narrow above and
broad below, flattened from before backward,
and longer behind than in front
Boundaries of the Thoracic
Cage
 Posterior surface - twelve thoracic vertebræ
and the posterior parts of the ribs
 Anterior surface - the sternum and costal
cartilages, flattened or slightly convex, and
inclined from above downward and forward
 Lateral surface - the ribs, separated from
each other by the intercostal spaces (11 in
number)
 Upper Opening (thoracic inlet) - first thoracic
vertebra behind, the upper margin of the sternum in
front, and the first rib on either side
 Lower Opening (thoracic outlet) - the 12th thoracic
vertebra behind, by the 11th and 12th ribs at the
sides, and in front by the cartilages of the 10th, 9th,
8th, and 7th ribs, which ascend on either side and
form an angle, the subcostal angle, into the apex
of which the xiphoid process projects
The Sternum (Breast Bone)
The Ribs
 True Ribs - first seven are connected behind
with the vertebral column, and in front,
through the intervention of the costal
cartilages, with the sternum
 False Ribs - remaining five are false ribs; of
these, the first three have their cartilages
attached to the cartilage of the rib above
(vertebro-chondral): the last two are free at
their anterior extremities and are
termed floating or vertebral ribs
Parts of a Rib
End of Part One
Quiz on Part One

 1. Identify  2. Identify  3. Identify

  5. Identify

 4. Identify
6-10. Identify whether Long,
Short, Flat or Irregular Bones
 6. Sacrum
 7. 5th Metatarsal
 8. Scapula
 9. Atlas
 10. 12th rib
The Human Bones
As lectured by Bien Nillos, MD
Reference: Gray’s Anatomy
The Extremities
 The shoulder girdle or girdle of the
superior extremity is formed by the
scapulae and clavicles
 The pelvic girdle or girdle of the inferior
extremity is formed by the hip bones, which
articulate with each other in front, at the
symphysis pubis
The Clavicle

 anterior portion of the shoulder girdle. It is a long

bone, curved somewhat like the italic letter f (or
S), and placed nearly horizontally at the upper and
anterior part of the thorax, immediately above the
first rib
 articulates medially with the manubrium sterni, and
laterally with the acromion of the scapula
 The sternal extremity of the clavicle is
triangular in form, directed medialward, and a
little downward and forward
 The acromial extremity presents a small,
flattened, oval surface directed obliquely
downward, for articulation with the acromion
of the scapula
The Scapula
 forms the posterior part of the shoulder girdle.
It is a flat, triangular bone, with TWO (2)
surfaces, THREE (3) borders, and THREE
(3) angles
 VENTRAL Surface - subscapular fossa
 DORSAL Surface - subdivided into two
unequal parts by the spine
 supraspinatous fossa – smaller of the two,
broader at its vertebral than at its humeral end; its
medial two-thirds give origin to the Supraspinatus
 infraspinatous fossa - much larger
 The spine is a
prominent plate of bone,
which crosses obliquely
the medial four-fifths of
the dorsal surface of the
scapula at its upper part,
and separates the
supra- from the
infraspinatous fossa
 The acromion
forms the summit of
the shoulder, and is
a large, somewhat
triangular or oblong
process, flattened
from behind forward,
projecting at first
lateralward, and
then curving forward
and upward, so as
to overhang
the glenoid cavity
Borders and Angles
The Humerus
Radius and
Ulna
The Hand
 Carpals
 Metacarpals
 Phalanges
 Scaphoid (Navicular) Trapezium (G. Multangular)
 Lunate Trapezoid (L. Multangular)
 Triquetrium (Triangular) Capitate
 Pisiform Hamate
END OF PART TWO
Quiz on Part Two
1. Angle formed by the union of the scapula’s lateral
border and medial border
2. Angle formed by the union of the scapula’s
superior border and lateral border
3. Angle formed by the union of the scapula’s medial
border and superior border
4. Divides the scapula into supraspinatous fossa and
infraspinatous fossa
5-6. The Glenoid fossa is formed by the union of what
two borders of the scapula?
9.
7.
8.

10.
Some Mnemonics on Carpals
 Scared Lovers Try Positions That They
Cannot Handle
 Stop Letting Those People Touch The
Cadaver’s Hand
 She Likes To Play, Try To Catch Her
Mnemonics for the Tarsals
 Tall Californian Navy Medical Interns Lay
Cuties
The Human Bones
As lectured by Bien Nillos, MD
Reference: Gray’s Anatomy
The Hip Bone
 large, flattened, irregularly shaped bone,
constricted in the center and expanded above
and below
 meets its fellow on the opposite side in the
middle line in front, and together they form
the sides and anterior wall of the pelvic cavity
 consists of three parts: the ilium,
ischium, and pubis
 The union of the three parts takes place in
and around a large cup-shaped articular
cavity, the acetabulum, which is situated
near the middle of the outer surface of the
bone.
 Ilium – superior, broad, extends upward from
the acetabulum
 Ischium – lowest, strongest portion
 Pubis – extends medialward, downward from
the acetabulum, meets midline, forms the
anterior portion of the pelvis
 The Pelvis is divided by an oblique plane
passing through the prominence of the
sacrum, the arcuate and pectineal lines, and
the upper margin of the symphysis pubis, into
the greater and the lesser pelvis. The
circumference of this plane is termed
the linea terminalis or pelvic brim
 The Greater or False Pelvis (pelvis major).—The
greater pelvis is the expanded portion of the cavity
situated above and in front of the pelvic brim. It is
bounded on either side by the ilium; in front it is
incomplete, presenting a wide interval between the
anterior borders of the ilia, which is filled up in the
fresh state by the parietes of the abdomen; behind
is a deep notch on either side between the ilium and
the base of the sacrum. It supports the intestines,
and transmits part of their weight to the anterior wall
of the abdomen.
 The Lesser or True Pelvis (pelvis minor).
—The lesser pelvis is that part of the pelvic
cavity which is situated below and behind the
pelvic brim. Its bony walls are more complete
than those of the greater pelvis. For
convenience of description, it is divided into
an inlet bounded by the superior
circumference, and outlet bounded by the
inferior circumference, and a cavity.
 The Superior Circumference.—The
superior circumference forms the brim of the
pelvis, the included space being called
the superior aperture or inlet.
 formed laterally by the pectineal and arcuate
lines, in front by the crests of the pubes, and
behind by the anterior margin of the base of
the sacrum and sacrovertebral angle
Three Principal Diameters
 The anteroposterior or conjugate
diameter extends from the sacrovertebral angle to
the symphysis pubis; its average measurement is
about 110 mm. in the female.
 The transverse diameter extends across the
greatest width of the superior aperture, from the
middle of the brim on one side to the same point on
the opposite; its average measurement is about 135
mm. in the female.
 The oblique diameter extends from the iliopectineal
eminence of one side to the sacroiliac articulation of
the opposite side; its average measurement is about
125 mm. in the female.
 The Lower Circumference.—The lower
circumference of the pelvis is very irregular;
the space enclosed by it is named
the inferior aperture or outlet
 bounded behind by the point of the coccyx,
and laterally by the ischial tuberosities
 The diameters of the outlet of the pelvis are
two, antero-posterior and transverse
 The antero-posterior diameter extends from
the tip of the coccyx to the lower part of the
pubic symphysis; its measurement is from 90
to 115 mm. in the female.
 The transverse diameter, measured
between the posterior parts of the ischial
tuberosities, is about 115 mm. in the female.
 In the erect posture, the
pelvis is placed obliquely
with regard to the trunk: the
plane of the superior
aperture forms an angle of
from 50° to 60°, and that of
the inferior aperture one of
about 15° with the horizontal
plane. The pelvic surface of
the symphysis pubis looks
upward and backward, the
concavity of the sacrum and
coccyx downward and
forward
The Femur
 Strongest
 Longest
 Almost cylindrical
 In the erect posture
it is not vertical
 The angle of the neck is widest in
infancy, and becomes lessened
during growth, so that at puberty it
forms a gentle curve from the axis of
the body of the bone. In the adult, the
neck forms an angle of about 125°
with the body
Patella

 flat, triangular bone, situated on the front of the

knee-joint. It is usually regarded as a sesamoid
bone
 serves to protect the front of the joint, and increases
the leverage of the Quadriceps femoris by making
it act at a greater angle
Shin Bones: Tibia and Fibula
 The Tibia articulates with the Femur
(upper leg) and the Talus (Ankle). This
bone carries all the body’s weight. It is
the main bone of the lower leg and can
be found on the more medial side of the
leg.
  Although this bone runs parallel to the
Tibia, the Fibula doesn’t actually carry
much weight. Instead, it acts as a
stabilizer. It’s inferior end (Lateral
Malleolus) is the bone that sticks out on
the outside of the ankle. The Fibula can
be found on the lateral side (outside) of
the lower leg.
The Bones of the Foot
 Tarsals
 Metatarsals
 Phalanges
END OF LECTURE ON BONES
Application:
Reporting/Demonstration
15 minutes ONLY!
 Group 1: What Are Fractures? Types of Fractures?
Common Causes of Fractures? (Use Models)
 Group 2: What Are Dislocations? Types of
Dislocations? Common Causes of Dislocations?
(Use Models)
 Group 3: Examining a Patient Suspected with
Fracture or Dislocation. (Demonstrate)
 Group 4: First Aid on Patients with
Fractures/Dislocations. Splinting. The Principle of
RICE. (Demonstrate)
 Group 5: Reading X-rays and Identifying Fractures
in X-rays. (Use X-ray Films/Files)